Artwork
Le decavé (Cleared Out)
Le decavé (Cleared Out) is an ink print by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Le decavé (Cleared Out) is a 1914 lithograph on laid paper by Jean-Louis Forain, a French artist known for his work across multiple mediums.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a dimly lit scene with three figures: two standing close together and a third seated with their head down. The rough, sketchy lines convey a sense of a quiet, intimate moment.
Technique & Style
Forain employed lithography, a technique involving ink on a smooth stone, to achieve the image's textured effect. The rough, scratchy lines and quick strokes give the scene a hurried, spontaneous feel.
History & Provenance
Forain created Le decavé in 1914, a time when he was producing satirical and socially engaged works alongside his other artistic output.
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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.
Salle de jeu (Gambling Room)
Oh! Monsieur, quel talent possède ...
Le Cafe
Salle de jeu (Gambling Room)
Scène d'audience (les deux avocats) (Scene of a Hearing (The Two Lawyers))
Trois dessins sur une feuille (Three Drawings on a Sheet)
Artist's Evening
At The House of Gold (A la maison d'or)
Scène de cabinet particulier (planche en largeur) (Scene in a Private Room) (horizontal plate)
Artists' Evening
Pèlerins d'Emmaüs (Pilgrims at Emmaus)
Le Decavé