Tête de vache or La vache 1926

Marc Chagall made this painting of a cow, titled "Tête de vache" in French, with a playful approach to color and form. The marks are gestural and direct, and it's clear he's enjoying the process, kind of making it up as he goes. Look at the surface – the cardboard shines through in places, giving the painting a raw, immediate feel. The paint is applied in layers, some thick and opaque, others thin and transparent, so you can see the history of the painting building up, layer by layer. The way he paints the cow's eyes, they're big and black, like giant cartoon eyes, or something from a dream. They feel so alive and full of wonder. Chagall’s work always reminds me of Joan Miró, they both had this way of creating their own visual language that feels childlike but also deeply profound. It's art that embraces the beauty of not knowing, and I find that incredibly inspiring.