Artwork
Danseuse et Maître d'hôtel (Dancer and Headwaiter)
Danseuse et Maître d'hôtel (Dancer and Headwaiter) is an ink print by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1908 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:"forain" lower right margin, graphite, artist's hand. Not dated. "G 34 only [underlined]" lower left margin, graphite, unknown hand. "G. 34. "Danseuse ed Maître d'hotêl" lower center margin, graphite, unknown hand. "C. 6053" verso, lower left sheet, graphite, unknown hand. "k. 5528 / c. 6053" verso, lower right sheet, graphite, unknown hand.
- Markings
- Marked:"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1760b). "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1932d).
About this work
Overview
Danseuse et Maître d'hôtel is a 1908 print by French artist Jean-Louis Forain, created using a combination of soft-ground etching, drypoint, and aquatint techniques on laid Van Gelder paper.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a dancer and a headwaiter in a café setting, rendered in a graphic style that emphasizes the subjects' unidealized features. The scene reflects Forain's interest in capturing everyday people and environments.
Technique & Style
Forain employed a mix of soft-ground etching, drypoint, and aquatint to achieve a distinctive, grainy effect in the shadows. The rough texture of the laid Van Gelder paper adds to the overall tactile quality of the print.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
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