Poissons et fleurs 1950

Marc Chagall made 'Poissons et fleurs' using watercolor and ink and, from the looks of it, a playful spirit. There’s a lovely freedom here, a real sense of not sweating the details too much. Check out the way he’s laid down the ink – sometimes it’s a quick flick of the wrist, other times it’s a more deliberate, juicy line. It’s all about the joy of the mark. I am particularly drawn to the checked vase – it's not a solid thing, but an open, linear structure in ink, and this seems so free, so unconcerned with the rules of perspective! And the way the blue washes across the fish, like a memory of the sea. Chagall reminds me a little of Joan Miró, in that they both have this incredible ability to tap into a childlike sense of wonder and translate it into their art. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be serious or complicated; sometimes it just needs to be a little bit magical.