Lourdes, the Miracle 1912 - 1913

"Lourdes, the Miracle" is a 1912-1913 etching by Jean-Louis Forain, a French artist known for his satirical and often cynical depictions of society. The artwork depicts a scene at the Catholic pilgrimage site of Lourdes, where a woman (likely Bernadette Soubirous, the purported witness to the Virgin Mary's apparitions) stands before a crowd of sick and injured individuals. Forain, known for his social commentary, likely portrays this scene with a critical eye, exploring themes of faith, healing, and the power of belief. The image is rendered with a loose, expressive style, capturing the energy and emotion of the scene with an almost journalistic immediacy.