Lot Essay
Forain was born in Reims and moved with his family to Paris around 1860. After initially studying with several masters, most notably Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, he later joined the circle of Impressionist painters who gathered at the Café Guerbois and the Café de la Nouvelle-Athènes. Edgar Degas became Forain's close friend and greatest influence, both on the younger artist's pictorial style and choice of subject matter. Like Degas, Forain's favorite theme was the dancers of the Paris Opera, both onstage and off, and their well-heeled male admirers. At Degas's invitation, Forain participated in the fourth Impressionist exhibition in 1879; he also showed his works in the Impressionist exhibitions of 1880, 1881 and 1883.
A photo-certificate from Florence Valdès-Forain and Janine Chagnaud-Forain dated December 12, 1996 accompanies this pastel, which will be included in their forthcoming Forain catalogue raisonné.
A photo-certificate from Florence Valdès-Forain and Janine Chagnaud-Forain dated December 12, 1996 accompanies this pastel, which will be included in their forthcoming Forain catalogue raisonné.