Nature morte à Gordes 1939

Marc Chagall made this still life of vegetables and fruit, we don’t know when, or what with, but it’s a feast for the eyes! I love how the colours seem to vibrate, almost like he's captured the very essence of summer. What strikes me is the real sense of touch in the painting. Look at the way the paint is applied so thickly, especially on the tomatoes, each brushstroke loaded with colour, giving them a real plumpness. And the textures! That checked surface beneath the food, with each stroke visible, it’s like a little abstract painting in itself. It's the kind of painting that makes you want to reach out and grab an aubergine, or maybe just run your fingers over the surface. You can see how Chagall has used the physicality of the paint to bring the scene to life. Chagall reminds me of Bonnard in a way, that same love of colour, but with Chagall it’s wilder, more unrestrained. It’s not about perfection or realism; it’s about feeling and memory, and that’s what makes it so compelling.