Versailles juillet. La Germania signe… c. 1919

Jean-Louis Forain made this drawing, titled Versailles juillet. La Germania signe…, with crayons, maybe around the time of the First World War, but it’s difficult to say exactly when. It’s that kind of drawing, immediate, like a report from the moment. What really grabs me here is the stark contrast between the two figures. You’ve got this stiff, dark figure on the right, looming over the scene, all done with these thick, almost violent strokes of black crayon. Next to that is the figure on the left, drawn with very little tonal variation, with delicate lines, like a ghost, or a memory. Look at the way Forain uses the side of the crayon to create this sense of weight and darkness around the man’s face and shoulders. You can practically feel the weight of history bearing down. Forain’s work has always been about capturing the raw, unfiltered moments of life. He reminds me a little of Daumier, another master of social observation, but with a bit more grit, a bit more edge. It is a reminder that art isn't always about polished surfaces or neat packages. Sometimes, it’s about embracing the mess, the ambiguity, and the uncomfortable truths that lie beneath.