The Shepherd and the Sea 1927 - 1930

Marc Chagall made this etching, The Shepherd and the Sea, with simple tools and a whole lotta vision. He scratched lines to capture a resting shepherd looking out over the waters with sailboats and ships. I'm struck by how the marks define the landscape with such sensitivity, using the etching needle in a way that feels painterly. Chagall's lines are delicate but they add up to a rich surface texture. The varying densities of the lines create subtle tonal shifts, giving the sea a shimmering, lively presence that almost feels like it’s moving. Look at the way the sea blends into the sky. It has this dreamlike quality, which reminds me a bit of Odilon Redon, whose charcoal drawings and lithographs similarly explored the realm of dreams and imagination. This print stands out in Chagall's larger body of work, especially compared to his later colorful and fantastical paintings. But like all his work, it reminds us that art is a constant conversation and exchange of ideas, with ambiguity and multiple interpretations always possible.