The Meeting under the Arch 1910

This is Jean-Louis Forain’s print, The Meeting under the Arch, made sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The image is built from thin, scratchy lines, almost like nervous energy made visible. I can imagine Forain hunched over a plate, etching with a fine needle, trying to capture a fleeting moment. What were these two men saying to each other under that archway? Was it a clandestine meeting, a lovers' quarrel, or just two friends catching up? Forain was known for his depictions of Parisian life, and this print feels like a quick sketch snatched from the streets. Look at how the archway looms over the figures, casting a shadow that seems to press in on them. It makes me think of Daumier and his lithographs of the working class, the way he used shadow to create a sense of drama and social commentary. All these artists are in conversation, sharing ideas and techniques across time. It's about capturing life as it is, messy, uncertain, and full of stories waiting to be told.