Jean Louis Forain

Jean Louis Forain , 1852-1931, French painter, etcher, and lithographer. One of the foremost etchers of his day, Forain is best known for his political cartoons and social satires, particularly of the worlds of theater and courtroom. His work enlivened a large number of publications, including Vie moderne, Cravache, Parisien, Figaro, and the New York Herald. In 1898 he founded with Caran d'Ache the short-lived Psst. His work was generally of a somber range of color similar to Daumier's.

Bibliography: See study by C. Dodgson (1936).

Forain, Jean-Louis (1852–1931). French painter, lithographer, and caricaturist, born in Reims, the son of a house-painter. In the first half of his career he worked mainly on satirical illustrations for various Paris journals, but he exhibited at four of the Impressionist exhibitions and after the turn of the century he concentrated more on painting. His most distinctive work included some court scenes, two examples of which are in the Tate Gallery, London: The Court of Justice (c. 1902) and Counsel and Accused (1908). Forain was a friend of Degas and was much influenced by him; Degas said of him ‘he paints with his hand in my pocket'.

Forain, Jean-Louis (1852–1931). French painter, lithographer, and caricaturist. In the first half of his career he worked mainly on satirical illustrations for various Paris journals, combining something of the realistic outlook of Manet and the mordant satire of Daumier. However he exhibited at four of the Impressionist exhibitions between 1879 and 1886, and after the turn of the century he concentrated more on painting. His most distinctive work included some court scenes, two examples of which are in Tate Modern, London: The Court of Justice (c.1902) and Counsel and Accused (1908). Forain was much influenced by his friend Degas, who said ‘he paints with his hand in my pocket’.