Le femme adultère (3e planche) (The Adulteress) (third plate)

Forain employed drypoint, incising the design directly into the paper’s surface. The resulting burr creates a rough, textured line that appears almost scribbled, reinforcing the work’s hurried, sketch‑like quality. The limited brown palette emphasizes tonal contrast without relying on color.

Created as the third plate in a series exploring the theme of adultery, the print reflects Forain’s broader interest in social commentary during the late Impressionist period. Although the series was modestly circulated in his lifetime, the work has since become a lesser‑known example of his printmaking.

Forain, active in the early twentieth century, worked across oils, watercolors, pastels, etching, and lithography. His prints often addressed contemporary moral issues, and this piece aligns with his habit of depicting everyday scenes that reveal underlying social tensions.