La sortie de l'audience (1ère planche) (Coming Out of the Hearing) (first plate)

Forain employed drypoint, incising lines directly into a metal plate with a sharp needle. The resulting prints are characterized by soft, velvety burr lines that convey a spontaneous, almost gestural quality, emphasizing movement and the fleeting nature of the scene.

Created during the later phase of Forain’s career, the print was part of a series documenting contemporary urban events. While Forain enjoyed considerable commercial success in his lifetime, his reputation has receded compared with more celebrated Impressionist contemporaries.

The work aligns with Forain’s broader practice of observing and recording public institutions—courts, cafés, theaters—through print media. By focusing on a courtroom exit, the piece comments on the intersection of private individuals and the public legal system in early‑20th‑century Paris.