Bredouilles. l’Equipage d’un Zeppelin c. 1915

Jean-Louis Forain made this drawing, called ‘Bredouilles. l’Equipage d’un Zeppelin,’ with what looks like crayon or charcoal, and it’s all about the process of observation and quick, expressive mark-making. What grabs me is the way he uses texture to create a sense of depth. Look at the figure in the center, shrouded in shadow, the strokes are dense, almost frantic, conveying a feeling of unease. Then, see how the figures fade into the background with lighter, sketchier lines, like ghostly apparitions? The way Forain manipulates the pressure of his crayon, building up the darks and leaving areas untouched, it’s like he’s sculpting with light and shadow. I can't help but think of Daumier, both in their subject matter and their commitment to capturing the raw, human experience. Like Daumier, Forain’s work reminds us that art is not just about beauty, it’s about bearing witness and inviting us to see the world in all its messy, contradictory glory.