Discharged from Military Service II c. 1914 - 1919

Jean-Louis Forain's charcoal drawing, "Discharged from Military Service II," created between 1914 and 1919, depicts a soldier returning home from military service. The figure stands awkwardly, struggling to remove his military uniform as his wife stands beside him. The drawing's loose, expressive lines capture the awkwardness of the moment, and the use of light and shadow enhances the sense of melancholy and uncertainty. The work, a poignant testament to the human cost of war, reflects Forain's signature style of social realism and keen observation of contemporary life.