The Corridors of the Palace of Justice 1908

Jean-Louis Forain made this drawing, "The Corridors of the Palace of Justice," with ink on paper, and it’s all about suggestive lines and implied forms. I can imagine Forain moving his pen across the paper, almost scribbling, to capture the essence of a crowded corridor. You can almost feel the weight of the lawyer’s robes, the way they seem to swallow the body. What does it feel like to be him? Is he trying to remain unseen, or is his clothing a part of his professional identity, as he navigates the legal world with an almost mournful presence? Forain had a knack for depicting scenes of modern life with a satirical edge, often focusing on the drama and corruption within the legal system. He might have felt like he was jousting with the great Daumier as he sketched, as all artists do. His work reminds us that art is not just about what we see, but how we interpret and feel the world around us.