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

Forain employed drypoint alongside traditional etching, producing deep, textured lines that wear the paper surface where the needle was pressed hard. The resulting scratches are vigorous and uneven, giving the composition a sense of immediacy and movement despite the static medium of ink on paper.

Created during the later phase of Forain’s career, the print reflects the artist’s established reputation as a versatile printmaker. While he enjoyed commercial success in his lifetime, his standing has waned in subsequent art historical assessments, and the work now resides in collections that document early 20th‑century French printmaking.

Forain, active in the Impressionist circle, worked across oil, watercolor, pastel, lithography, and print media. His focus on contemporary urban life, especially public institutions such as courts, aligns with the broader turn toward social realism among French artists at the turn of the century.