Le gros cigare (The Big Cigar)

Forain combines soft‑ground etching, which captures subtle tonal variations, with drypoint, a method that yields rich, velvety lines. The interplay of these techniques creates texture in the fabric, chair, and smoke, while the shallow depth of field emphasizes the man’s face and the cigar’s bulk.

Forain, a French artist associated with Impressionist circles, was a prolific painter and printmaker whose work enjoyed commercial success during his lifetime. *Le gros cigare* reflects his printmaking practice of the period, though his post‑humous reputation has not sustained the same level of recognition as some contemporaries.

Produced at a time when smoking cigars was a marker of wealth and cosmopolitan taste, the print aligns with Forain’s broader interest in contemporary social scenes. The work exemplifies the early 1900s fascination with modern urban leisure and the visual documentation of its participants.