Forain Etching 1912

Jean-Louis Forain made this etching sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century; it's a process of scratching and biting, of leaving traces. Look at the lean and scratchy lines he's made! The man is hunched, consumed by the page in front of him. It's all about the surface here - the gritty texture of the etching, the cross-hatched shading that gives weight to the figure. See how the lines around his head almost vibrate with energy, but the planes of the desk are rigid and firm? There’s a kinship with artists like Daumier, who also captured the everyday struggles of ordinary people with a wry, compassionate eye. Forain embraces ambiguity. He’s not trying to tell us everything; he’s inviting us to fill in the blanks.