Marc Chagall, New York 1947

This is Irving Penn's photograph of Marc Chagall in New York. Penn uses light and shadow like strokes of a brush, doesn’t he? I can imagine him in his studio, carefully positioning Chagall, adjusting the lights, waiting for the right moment. Chagall is reclining, almost as if he’s floating in one of his own paintings. He's resting on what looks like a huge amorphous cushion, and the soft light wraps around him, highlighting his face and hands. His expression is thoughtful, maybe a little melancholic. Look at the texture in his hair and the lines on his face – Penn captures so much character. There’s a tenderness here, a sense of intimacy between artist and subject. It reminds me of other artists, like Lucian Freud, who also sought to capture the essence of their sitters. There's an exchange of ideas across time, and that inspires creativity. There isn't one reading, embodied expression embraces ambiguity.