Artwork
The Adulteress
The Adulteress is an ink drawing by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:"forain" lower right composition, black crayon, artist's hand. Not dated. Verso: none.
- Markings
- Marked:"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1760b). "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1932d).
About this work
Overview
The Adulteress is a drawing created by Jean-Louis Forain around 1910, using pen and brown and grey ink on brown wove paper mounted on board. It exemplifies Forain's versatility as an artist who worked across multiple media.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a dramatic street scene where a kneeling woman is confronted by a man in a top hat, while onlookers watch from a staircase. The tense composition suggests a narrative of social confrontation or moral judgment.
Technique & Style
Forain employed expressive linework, tonal variation, and heavy ink lines to create a sense of urgency and depth. The use of shading and layered lines adds texture and dimensionality to the scene, capturing the folds in clothing and shadows.
Context
As a French Impressionist painter and printmaker, Forain's work reflects his engagement with Impressionist techniques while maintaining a focus on narrative and social observation, distinguishing him from some of his contemporaries.
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.
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia (recto) / Study of a Male Nude (verso)
Brutus Condemning His Sons to Death
Untitled
The Meeting of Christ with Martha and Mary after the Death of Lazarus
Italian Comedians Taking Their Bows
The Laying Out of Christ
Le Christ dépouillé de se vêtements (Christ Stripped of His Clothes)
Rats
The Miracle before the Blessed Sacrament (fourth plate)
A Dramatic Scene with a Fainting Woman
Study for "Christ Appearing to Mary"- Le femme adultère (3e planche) (The Adulteress) (third plate)