Jean Louis Forain 1852-1931

Jean-Louis Forain, a French painter, draftsman, caricaturist, and printmaker, was born on October 23, 1852, in Reims under the name Louis Henri. In 1863, he moved to Paris with his family, where he met the historical painter Louis Jacquesson de la Chevreuse and took his first drawing lessons. Forain briefly studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Jean-Léon Gérôme’s atelier, though he found the academic method unsatisfying. He later worked as an assistant to Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, but lived without means after being dismissed.

During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, Forain participated in the defense of Fort de Montrouge. At the same time, he studied under the caricaturist André Gill and sympathized with the Communards in Paris. During a period of relative calm, he became interested in the etchings of Francisco de Goya. In 1874, his first submission to the Salon, Nature morte à la bouteille, was rejected. Around the same time, he published his early drawings, including La Cravache parisienne. The influence of the Impressionists, especially Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas, was decisive in this period. At Degas’ invitation, Forain participated four times in the Impressionist exhibitions between 1879 and 1886. The writer Joris-Karl Huysmans admired Forain’s technique and had his portrait done in pastel in 1878.

In 1889, Forain founded the weekly magazine Le Fifre, personally illustrating it and contributing texts. From 1875 to 1890, he primarily produced realist etchings before turning to lithography. After 1890, his work focused on female nudes at their toilette and social studies of contemporary life. In 1891, he began collaborating with Le Figaro, and other newspapers sought his sharp, satirical illustrations, establishing him as the successor to Honoré Daumier. Over time, Forain’s focus shifted from social satire to political satire due to radical political events. In 1898, he co-founded the magazine Psst! with Caran d’Ache.

From 1902 onward, Forain increasingly explored religious themes, undertaking numerous pilgrimages to Lourdes, while expanding his subject matter to include dramatic audience scenes. A major retrospective of 390 of his prints was held in Paris in 1913. During World War I, he published drawings in the journal Opinion, Le Figaro, and Oui, demonstrating his patriotism. Gradually after the war, Forain moved away from drawing to focus on painting. In 1902, he served as director of the Association de la République de Montmartre and the Société des Dessinateurs Humoristes. In 1923, he was elected to the Institut de France and became president of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1925. Jean-Louis Forain died on July 11, 1931, in Paris.