Hiding the ‘louis’ c. 1914 - 1919

Editor: Jean-Louis Forain’s pencil drawing, "Hiding the ‘louis’,” likely created sometime between 1914 and 1919, presents two figures sketched with rapid lines. There’s a real sense of tension and maybe even some urgency in the scene. What strikes you most about this drawing? Curator: That sketchiness, you see? It’s raw, almost like catching a fleeting moment, a secret whispered in charcoal. This was wartime France, a country caught between hope and despair, painting and drawing as always, with the urgency to document their human spirit. Now, why do you think Forain focused on these two figures specifically, poised as they are? Editor: I wonder if it has something to do with the title, "Hiding the 'louis.'" Maybe they’re concealing something illegal or shameful? The slumped posture of the one figure makes me think so. Curator: Exactly! 'Louis' most likely references the 'Louis d’or,' a gold coin. During wartime, you had profiteering and anxieties everywhere. This wasn’t the grand spectacle of heroism you'd expect but intimate anxiety about survival, perhaps something shady. Have you ever felt that weight of responsibility and the secrecy it demands, especially when resources are scarce? It makes me think, even with so few lines, how well Forain manages to tell such a compelling story! Editor: I think I get it. It’s not just a simple drawing; it’s a glimpse into a very specific and anxious historical moment, where even a simple act of hiding money could carry so much weight and consequence. Thank you. Curator: The pleasure is all mine, young Padawan. Now, go forth, look deeper, and find the untold stories hiding in every line!