Artwork

Portrait d'Ambroise Vollard (Portrait of Ambroise Vollard)

Portrait d'Ambroise Vollard (Portrait of Ambroise Vollard), by Jean-Louis Forain, ink, 1910
Portrait d'Ambroise Vollard (Portrait of Ambroise Vollard), by Jean-Louis Forain, ink, 1910

Portrait d'Ambroise Vollard (Portrait of Ambroise Vollard) is an ink print by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1910 by Jean-Louis Forain, 'Portrait d'Ambroise Vollard' is a lithograph on wove paper depicting the art dealer Ambroise Vollard.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait shows Ambroise Vollard, a prominent figure in the art world, with a thick beard and bald head, captured in a simple yet expressive manner.

Technique & Style

Forain employed loose, quick lines and shading to convey Vollard's likeness, resulting in a textured, sketchy appearance that suggests an unfinished quality.

Context

Forain's work in various mediums, including lithography, contributed to his commercial success during his lifetime, despite his reputation later diminishing relative to his Impressionist peers.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Jean-Louis Forain

Artist

Jean-Louis Forain

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.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.