Artwork
a) La fête nationale (The National Holiday) (recto); b) Woman Holding Child (verso)
a) La fête nationale (The National Holiday) (recto); b) Woman Holding Child (verso) is an ink drawing by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1918, the double-sided drawing by French artist Jean‑Louis Forain presents two contrasting subjects on a single sheet of wove paper.
Created in 1918, the double-sided drawing by French artist Jean‑Louis Forain presents two contrasting subjects on a single sheet of wove paper. The recto, titled *La fête nationale (The National Holiday)*, captures a public gathering, while the verso, *Woman Holding Child*, offers a quieter, more personal study. Both images are rendered with brush, ink, and crayon, emphasizing rapid, gestural marks.
Subject & Meaning
On the front, a crowd is suggested through loose lines that hint at movement and communal activity, though the composition conveys a certain tension rather than outright festivity. The reverse side isolates a solitary figure, a woman cradling a child, focusing attention on intimate domestic bonds and the quiet moments that contrast with the public scene.
Technique & Style
Forain employed a combination of brown and black ink applied with brush, alongside black crayon, to achieve varied tonal effects. The drawing’s sketchy, energetic strokes reflect his background in printmaking and illustrate a spontaneous approach, where forms are suggested rather than fully detailed, allowing the viewer to infer atmosphere from minimal marks.
History & Provenance
The work dates to the final year of World War I, a period when Forain continued to produce drawings alongside his more commercial paintings and prints. Although he enjoyed considerable market success during his lifetime, his reputation has waned compared with other Impressionists, and this piece exemplifies his lesser‑known graphic output.
Context
Forain’s career spanned oil, watercolor, pastel, etching, and lithography, positioning him within the broader Impressionist movement while also catering to popular tastes. The dual images on a single sheet reflect his practice of creating studies that could serve both as standalone artworks and as preparatory sketches for larger compositions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Louis Forain (French pronunciation: ; 23 October 1852 – 11 July 1931) was a French Impressionist painter and printmaker, working in media including oils, watercolour, pastel, etching and lithograph.
