La route d'Emmaüs (1ère planche) (The Road to Emmaus) (first plate)

Forain employed drypoint, incising lines directly into a metal plate. The resulting scratches produce uneven, ragged edges that convey immediacy and texture, distinguishing the print from smoother etchings or lithographs. The laid Van Gelder paper adds a fine, slightly ribbed surface that accentuates the line quality.

The print is the first plate in a series Forain prepared on the Emmaus theme. Although Forain enjoyed considerable contemporary acclaim—often surpassing many of his Impressionist colleagues—his reputation has waned in later art historical narratives. The work remains documented as part of his printmaking output from the early twentieth century.

Forain’s career spanned painting, watercolor, pastel, etching, and lithography, reflecting the versatile practices of many Impressionist‑era artists. By 1904, he was integrating traditional religious subjects with his modern, loosely rendered style, situating this print within both his personal oeuvre and broader trends of narrative printmaking in France.