Calvary (second plate) 1902

Jean-Louis Forain made this print called ‘Calvary (second plate)’ some time during his career, which stretched from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century in France. The scene shows the aftermath of the crucifixion of Christ. The mourning figures and towering ladder invite reflection on the politics of religious imagery in France at the time. Republicanism was on the rise, and with it a growing sense of skepticism about the role of the church. Forain however was a committed Catholic and a conservative who believed in traditional values. His work often expresses his sense of a moral decline in modern life. The image can be better understood by looking at popular illustrated journals from the time, as well as the history of the French Church. Art history reminds us that the meaning of art depends on its social context.