Death of Dorcon 1961

Marc Chagall made 'Death of Dorcon' with an eye for layering colour in a way that feels almost musical. He’s not trying to trick you into seeing things realistically; instead, he’s handing you a set of feelings, painted in blues and reds. I love how Chagall just lets the colours breathe here. The paint isn’t thick or fussy, but almost like watercolour, letting the whiteness of the paper do some of the work. The way he makes those figures float, it feels like they’re part of a dream that’s both beautiful and a little sad, like a memory fading at the edges. Look at the way he uses that dreamy blue, it feels like the whole scene is underwater, or maybe up in the sky – that little red sun is just a small point of heat in a much wider space, an emotional landmark. Chagall’s like Bonnard in that he isn't afraid to mess with perspective. It’s like he’s saying, hey, reality is overrated. Art is about making something new, something that sings to you in its own weird way.