Le Christ dépouillé de ses vêtements (Christ Stripped of His Clothes)

Forain employed drypoint, a intaglio method in which a sharp needle incises lines directly into the paper’s surface. The resulting burr produces rich, velvety strokes that convey texture and depth, while the bold, expressive lines impart a sense of immediacy. The limited brown palette unifies the composition, allowing the tactile quality of the drypoint to dominate the visual experience.

Created in 1909, the print entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains on view. Forain, a prolific French artist known for his work across oils, watercolors, pastels, etchings, and lithographs, achieved considerable commercial success during his lifetime, though his posthumous reputation has fluctuated.

Forain’s career unfolded amid the late‑19th‑ and early‑20th‑century French art scene, a period marked by Impressionist experimentation and the rise of printmaking as a popular medium. While best known for urban scenes and caricatures, his religious works, such as this drypoint, reflect a broader engagement with traditional subjects, offering a contrast to his more secular output.