Artwork
Ceux de la premiere heure. "Sire! ou en somme-nous de "la guerre fraiche et joyeuse"? ..."
Ceux de la premiere heure. "Sire! ou en somme-nous de "la guerre fraiche et joyeuse"? ..." is a crayon drawing by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1916, 'Ceux de la premiere heure' is a drawing by Jean-Louis Forain, a French artist known for his work in various media. The work is executed in black crayon on wove paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a soldier lying on the ground, resting his head on his arm, conveying a sense of fatigue. The simple uniform and sparse background emphasize the soldier's weariness.
Technique & Style
Forain's loose, sketchy lines and uneven crayon strokes capture the soldier's slumped form, suggesting a quick, observational note. This style reflects the mood of the time, during World War I.
Context
The work reflects Forain's engagement with contemporary themes during a period of prolific output across multiple graphic media, as he responded to the brutality and duration of World War I.
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.
France Watching
a) Along the Marne (recto); b) Study for Along the Marne (verso)
a) Kammerade. Porquoi cette froideur? (recto); b) Study for German Figure (verso)
a) Looking for the Enemy (recto); b) Sketch for Looking for the Enemy (verso)
Toward Justice
Lost Illusions
"They Are Burning Everything - They must be about to Retreat"
Untitled
News in the Trenches
Lost Illusions