1916
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
-Qu'est-ce vous voulez? -Les "louis" de 1871 is a 1916 ink by Jean-Louis Forain, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two men standing outdoors. The one on the left wears a long coat, hat, and holds a stick. The other man has a spiked helmet, a loose shirt, and looks frustrated. Behind them, a few bushes and a small patch of ground are drawn quickly. The text below reads like a joke: *"Qu'est-ce vous voulez?"* (What do you want?) and *"Les 'louis' de 1871"* (referring to coins from 1871). It hints at a moment of tension or humor. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shading with lines.
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 pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
![Hiding the "louis" [verso]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/7d597357f4c4f17d/thumb.webp)
