Negotiations at the Trianon Palace, Versailles c. 1919

Jean-Louis Forain made this drawing, Negotiations at the Trianon Palace, Versailles, with what looks like graphite or charcoal, and it’s all about the process, the marks, and the energy of the moment. Look at the way he's built up the figure with these quick, almost nervous lines. You can see the ghost of the figures underneath. It's like he's searching for the form, and that search becomes part of the image itself. The texture is all in the layering of the lines, some dark and assertive, others light and tentative. There's a real contrast between the solid black of the man’s scarf and the wispy lines that define the rest of the scene. The way Forain uses line to create a sense of movement and tension reminds me a bit of Daumier, but with an added layer of psychological intensity. It’s as if he’s not just drawing what he sees, but also capturing the mood and atmosphere of these negotiations. It embraces the idea that art is never really finished, just abandoned at a certain point.