The Model's Rest (second plate) 1909

Jean-Louis Forain made this print, “The Model’s Rest,” in France. It depicts an artist with his model during a break, and can be seen as a comment on the art world of its time. Forain was an artist who explored the social realities of Paris, often focusing on the lives of ordinary people and the city's underbelly. This image is interesting because it offers us a glimpse behind the scenes, into the relationship between the artist and the model, who were both essential figures in the artistic ecosystem of the time. The way Forain captures the scene is very informal and intimate. The artist and model are shown relaxing, almost as if they're unaware of being observed. This gives us a sense of the human aspect of art creation, stripping away some of the glamour and showing the work and rest that goes into it. To understand this image more fully, we might look at the artist's other works and the wider context of the Parisian art scene, using resources like letters or exhibition reviews. This helps us understand how art reflects and comments on the society in which it's made.