L'Allemand expulsé (The German Expelled)

Art Historical Context

Jean-Louis Forain's *L'Allemand expulsé (The German Expelled, a 1919 lithograph on paper, captures the raw patriotic fervor of post-World War I France. Printed just months after the Treaty of Versailles this work reflects the era's intense anti-German sentiment, as France reclaimed territories like Alsace-Lorraine and oversaw the expulsion of German civilians. Forain, a French artist known for his Impressionist roots and later satirical edge—influenced by Edgar Degas—turned to printmaking to voice national triumph and resentment through sharp social commentary. Lithography, Forain's chosen medium here, was ideal for such politically charged imagery. The technique's directness, using greasy crayon on a stone slab for rich tonal contrasts, allowed mass reproduction, amplifying its propagandistic reach in newspapers and posters. At 21 × 14 cm, the compact image packs emotional punch, its laid paper texture adding a tactile authenticity typical of fine art prints from the period. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection (Department CG-E), this piece exemplifies how art intersected with history, blending Forain's caricatural flair with cultural catharsis. Visitors will appreciate its snapshot of a nation's healing—and lingering scars—from the Great War.

About the Artist

Jean-Louis Forain · 1852–1931

Jean-Louis Forain was born Louis Henri Forain on October 23, 1852, in Reims, France, to a family of modest means; his father painted ornamental signs. The family relocated to Paris when he was eight, where young Forain developed a passion for drawing inspired by the sculptures of Reims Cathedral and the masters at the Louvre, which he began copying at age fourteen. He received drawing lessons from...