a) Scène de grève (3e planche) (Scene of a Strike) (third plate) (recto); b) Untitled (verso)

Forain employs swift, sketch‑like lines characteristic of his lithographic practice, emphasizing movement and immediacy. The use of laid paper and the contrast between the printed image on the front and the crayon drawing on the back illustrate his facility with multiple print media, while the overall visual language aligns with late‑Impressionist interests in contemporary urban life.

Created in the late 1890s, the work reflects Forain’s productive period when he was a well‑known illustrator and printmaker in Paris. The sheet’s dual-sided format was common for his commercial prints, though specific ownership records for this particular piece are not documented in the available sources.

During the 1890s, French artists increasingly turned to scenes of labor unrest, reflecting the social tensions of the Third Republic. Forain, a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines, used his prints to document everyday events, situating this strike scene within a broader trend of socially engaged visual commentary.