Jew with a Torah 1922 - 1923

Marc Chagall made this print, Jew with a Torah, sometime in the 20th century. Just look at the contrast between the white lines and the dense black background, it really pops! This kind of mark-making, for me, is all about process, deciding what to leave in and what to carve away. What strikes me most is the texture, or lack of it. The surface is super flat, and the lines are so clean and crisp. It’s like he's not trying to hide the work that went into it, but is instead revelling in its graphic quality. The chicken in the lower corner is rendered with so much personality and energy that I think this one small detail could be a whole painting on its own. Thinking about other artists, this reminds me a little bit of Kirchner, especially the way he uses woodcuts to convey raw emotion. Ultimately, Chagall’s work is always about embracing the unexpected, and this print is no exception.