The Story Teller 

Jean-Louis Forain’s drawing, made with crayon on paper, gives us an intimate glimpse into a moment of storytelling. The materials themselves are humble, immediate – a far cry from the grand history paintings of the French Academy. Notice how the crayon marks vary: quick, scribbled lines for the background, denser shading to define the figures, and a few strategic highlights in white. This directness emphasizes the everyday scene. Forain uses a fairly limited tonal range, and the material of the crayon allows for blending, but also for retaining marks and textures, which bring the scene to life. This isn’t the world of officialdom or high society. Instead, it’s a scene of domestic intimacy, rendered with the simplest of means. The very accessibility of the materials and the quickness of the technique suggest that art can be found anywhere, and can be made by anyone, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and the everyday.