-Qu'est-ce vous voulez? -Les "louis" de 1871

c. 1914/1919

Jean-Louis Forain

Associated Names
Jean-Louis Forain

Artist, French, 1852 - 1931

The image depicts two individuals shown from head to toe. On the left, a person standing upright with their body facing forward but the head turned to the right, and hands behind their back. This person is wearing a helmet, long coat, and boots. On the right, another person standing with a slightly hunched posture, looking intently towards the person on the left. This person has more pronounced facial features with an open mouth and squinted eyes, wearing a spiked headdress, long robe, and bare feet. The surroundings are minimal with indistinct shapes resembling stones or rubble at the ankles of the second person, and an undefined form to the right of them. The background is a blank, textured surface, and the entire scene is sketched with loose, expressive lines.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    brush and black ink and black crayon on laid Van Gelder paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 43.5 x 57.5 cm (17 1/8 x 22 5/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.4100


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Lessing J. Rosenwald [1891-1979], Jenkintown, PA; gift to NGA, 1943.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

"forain" lower right margin, graphite, artist's hand. " -Qu'est-ce vous voulez? / -Les "louis" de 1871" lower left margin, graphite, artist's hand. "A 2276" lower right margin, graphite, unknown hand. Verso: none.

Markings

"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1760b). "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink, (Lugt 1932d).

Watermarks

[Fortune figure] / "VAN GELDER ZONEN"

Wikidata ID

Q64581488

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