1909
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
En cabinet particulier (1ère planche) (In a Private Room) (first plate) is a 1909 ink by Jean-Louis Forain, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two figures in a dim room. One person stands naked, arms raised, while the other sits hunched over, holding what looks like a pipe or stick. The lines are loose and quick, like hurried notes. The artist used a scratchy, layered style to build up the shapes—almost like drawing with a pen and then adding more lines on top. It feels raw and unfinished, but that’s the point. If you like this sketchy style, look up etching to see how artists use acid and plates to make prints like this.
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.
See the richer artist page
