Couple au chandelier 1954

Marc Chagall painted Couple au chandelier in 1954 with, it seems, a love for reds, yellows, and greens. The approach to the mark making here is pretty gestural. It's not trying to be too precise. It’s a painting that feels made. The colours vibrate against each other, especially that orange background. It's not blended perfectly, and you can see how the brushstrokes move. The paint looks like it’s been dragged across the surface. Look at the woman's dress, how the yellow is dotted with these little green circles. It’s unexpected and playful, like a joyous accident. Chagall's floating figures and dreamlike scenes remind me a little bit of Giorgio de Chirico. Both artists create worlds that don't quite follow the rules of reality, suggesting there are other ways of seeing and experiencing things. For Chagall, it’s all about the feeling, the emotion, the sense of love and wonder.