Artwork
Le repas à Emmaus (2e planche) (The Supper at Emmaus) (second plate)
Le repas à Emmaus (2e planche) (The Supper at Emmaus) (second plate) is an ink print by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Jean‑Louis Forain’s print *Le repas à Emmaus (2e planche)* was produced in 1910.
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Louis Forain’s print *Le repas à Emmaus (2e planche)* was produced in 1910. Executed with a combination of etching and drypoint on brown‑toned laid Van Gelder paper, the work belongs to a small series of early‑20th‑century prints that explore biblical subjects through Forain’s distinctive line work.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents the biblical episode of the Supper at Emmaus, showing three figures gathered around a table. The central figure dominates the composition with a more fully rendered, solemn expression, while the companions appear as looser, almost sketch‑like silhouettes, suggesting a narrative focus on the moment of recognition.
Technique & Style
Forain employed drypoint to create deep, textured lines that retain a raw, uneven quality, complemented by the finer, etched lines that define the central figure. The overall effect is a loose, wavy handling of form, with a limited palette of brown ink that emphasizes tonal contrast over color.
History & Provenance
The print is part of a series of etchings and drypoints Forain produced in the first decade of the 1900s. Although the artist enjoyed commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation has waned in subsequent decades, and this work now serves as a representative example of his printmaking practice.
Context
Forain, better known for his oil paintings and watercolors, turned to printmaking as a means of reaching a broader audience. The biblical theme aligns with the period’s renewed interest in religious narratives rendered in a modern, impressionistic manner, bridging traditional subject matter with contemporary technique.
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.
Le repas à Emmaus (3e planche) (The Supper at Emmaus) (third plate)
Après l'apparition (2e planche) (After the Vision) (second plate)
Avant le repas à Emmaus
Avant le repas à Emmaus (1ère planche) (Before the Supper at Emmaus) (first plate)
Après l'apparition (2e planche) (After the Vision) (second plate)
Before the Supper at Emmaus