Jean-Louis Forain was born on October 23, 1852 in Reims Marne, France. He was a French Impressionist painter, lithographer, watercolorist and etcher.

Biography and Career :

Jean-Louis Forain was one of the most important artists of the first few decades of the twentieth century, frequently compared to Rembrandt for his emotional power as an etcher.

Jean-Louis Forain came of an artist's family and began to draw as a child. He received his early lessons in painting from Jackson de la Chevreuse, a follower of Delaroche. Forain continued his artistic training in Paris, at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Atelier Gerome. His attraction for Goya's etchings encouraged him, in 1864, to try his hand at graphics. He first scored success in 1876 when the magazine La Cravache published his drawings. From that time on he contributed regularly to illustrated humour magazines (Journal Amusant, Le Rire, La Vie Parisienne, L'Echo de Paris and others). His album La Comedie Parisienne came out in 1892; Les Temps Difficiles and Nous, vous, eux appeared in 1893.

Forain also painted in oils and pastels. He exhibited at the Salon of 1884 (The Buffet) and of 1885 (A Widower). On the insistence of Degas he participated in the Impressionist exhibitions of 1879, 1881 and 1886. Both for his paintings and drawings Forain chose subjects from daily life, depicting cafes and street scenes, the Stock Exchange or the theatres; we also find there echoes of the political events of the day. In his later works Forain's humour took on a tragic colouring, and his handling became more generalized.

Trivia :

- In 1891 Forain married the painter Jeanne Bosc with whom he had a son, born in 1895.
- Jean-Louis Forain was influenced by Honoré Daumier and Edgar Degas.
_{Jean-Louis Forain Image Source : nanga.fr}

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Tags: 1852, painter, france, impressionist	[edit tags]

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Category: Painters  - ( Painters Archive)

Date Added: 13 August '07

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