Jean-Louis Forain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean-Louis Forain
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Jean-Louis Forain drawing in his studio
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| Born |
Louis Henri Forain
23 October 1852 Reims, France
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| Died | 11 July 1931 (aged 78) Paris, France
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| Spouse(s) | Jeanne Bosc |
| Elected | Royal Academy of Arts |
Jean-Louis Forain (born October 23, 1852 – died July 11, 1931) was a French Impressionist painter. He was also a talented printmaker, creating art using oils, watercolour, pastel, etching, and lithograph. Forain was quite successful during his lifetime. Today, his art is still appreciated, but he is not as widely known as some other Impressionist artists.
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Life and Art of Jean-Louis Forain
Forain was born in Reims, France. When he was eight years old, his family moved to Paris. This big city would later become a major subject in his artwork.
Early Career and Education
Forain started his career drawing funny pictures, called caricatures, for Paris newspapers. He worked for journals like Le Monde Parisien. To learn more about art, he studied at the École des Beaux Arts. This was a famous art school in Paris.
Friends and Influences
Forain was known for his quick wit. This helped him become friends with many famous people. He knew poets like Arthur Rimbaud and writers such as Joris-Karl Huysmans. He was also the youngest artist to join lively discussions at the Café de la Nouvelle Athènes. Here, he met and learned from artists like Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas.
Forain became a close friend and student of Edgar Degas. He joined the Impressionist art group. He showed his art in four of their eight special exhibitions. Impressionist artists focused on capturing light and everyday life. Forain's art showed scenes of Parisian entertainment. He painted racetracks, ballet shows, and busy cafés.
Famous Caricaturist
Forain became the most famous caricaturist of the Belle Époque. This was a "beautiful era" in French history, known for its art and culture. He drew for the newspaper Le Figaro for over 30 years.
He also worked as an illustrator for Psst...!, a magazine that shared strong political opinions. Forain was influenced by his friend Degas and also by another great artist, Honoré Daumier. In 1892, he published a book called La Comédie Parisienne. It was a collection of his drawings and comments on important political events in France.
Family and Later Years
In 1891, Forain married a painter named Jeanne Bosc. They had a son, Jean-Loup, in 1895.
During World War I, Forain created drawings that showed the patriotism of the French people. He even joined a special camouflage unit. In his later years, Forain drew many scenes of the Law Courts in Paris. He also created social satire, which means he made fun of society in his drawings.
In 1931, shortly before he passed away, he became a member of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Jean-Louis Forain was one of France's most respected artists during his time. He was especially admired for his many drawings that captured life in Paris at the end of the 19th century. Other artists, like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, were fans of his work.
Art Returned to Owners
Sometimes, during wars, art can be taken from its rightful owners. On January 22, 2020, two artworks by Jean-Louis Forain were returned. These paintings had been found in a secret collection in Munich. They were given back to the family of the Jewish art collector Armand Dorville, who had owned them before.
Selected Works by Forain
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The Place Clichy, pastel, 1883–1884
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The Buffet, oil, 1884
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The Prom Notebook, pastel, c 1888
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Lower Box at the Theatre, etching, 1909
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The Requisition, 1919
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Poster 51 in Les Maîtres de l'Affiche
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Poster 186 in Les Maîtres de l'Affiche
See also
In Spanish: Jean-Louis Forain para niños
