Christ Carrying the Cross (fourth plate) 1910

Jean-Louis Forain etched this fourth plate titled ‘Christ Carrying the Cross,’ an image laden with symbolic weight. Dominating the scene, the cross represents not just the instrument of Christ's execution but also a profound symbol of sacrifice, redemption, and suffering. The cross, an emblem of divine agony, echoes across time and cultures, from ancient sacrificial rites to modern-day emblems of faith. One sees it reappear in myriad forms – sometimes as a symbol of hope, other times as a stark reminder of mortality, and in others a symbol of power. The emotional gravity of this image resides in the viewer's subconscious recognition of the cross as a universal symbol of pain and spiritual endurance. Forain masterfully engages with the collective memory of suffering, inviting a deep, often unspoken, emotional response. This cyclical journey of the symbol reflects humanity's continuous confrontation with existential questions, eternally resurfacing in our collective consciousness.