Artwork

Ceux de la premiere heure. "Sire! ou en somme-nous de "la guerre fraiche et joyeuse"? ..."

Jean-Louis Forain , 1916

Ceux de la premiere heure. "Sire! ou en somme-nous de "la guerre fraiche et joyeuse"? ..." is a crayon drawing by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:"forain" lower right margin, graphite, artist's hand. Not dated. "Ceux de la premiere heure. "Sire! ou en somme-nous de "la guerre fraiche et joyeuse"?..."" lower margin, graphite, unknown hand. "A 2332" lower right margin, graphite, unknown hand. Verso: none.
Markings: Marked:"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1760b). "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1932d).

About this work

Overview

Created around 1916, 'Ceux de la premiere heure' is a drawing by Jean-Louis Forain, a French artist known for his work in various media. The work is executed in black crayon on wove paper.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a soldier lying on the ground, resting his head on his arm, conveying a sense of fatigue. The simple uniform and sparse background emphasize the soldier's weariness.

Technique & Style

Forain's loose, sketchy lines and uneven crayon strokes capture the soldier's slumped form, suggesting a quick, observational note. This style reflects the mood of the time, during World War I.

Context

The work reflects Forain's engagement with contemporary themes during a period of prolific output across multiple graphic media, as he responded to the brutality and duration of World War I.

Artist & collection

Artist

Jean-Louis Forain

Jean-Louis Forain (French pronunciation:; 23 October 1852 – 11 July 1931) was a French Impressionist painter and printmaker, working in media including oils, watercolour, pastel, etching and lithograph.

Museum

National Gallery of Art

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