The Lion and the Rat 1927 - 1930

Marc Chagall’s “The Lion and the Rat” is an etching, a printmaking process that uses acid to cut into a metal plate, allowing for finely detailed and textured images. Look closely, and you’ll see how the dense network of etched lines creates the tonal variations and the overall mood. This is not just about depicting a scene; it’s about the labor-intensive process of manually creating an image through the controlled corrosion of metal. The depth and darkness of the lines suggest that Chagall may have bitten the plate multiple times, a skilled method of deepening certain areas to enhance contrast and visual impact. This print invites us to consider the relationship between the artist’s hand, the industrial processes of printmaking, and the final artwork, and to value the craft involved in bringing an image to life.