Greeting Card for 1974 1971 - 1974

Marc Chagall made this greeting card, probably a print, for 1974. It’s a wild mix of black lines, punctuated by hits of red, green, and yellow. The way he lays down these marks, it's like he's letting his hand dance across the paper, not worrying too much about the "right" way to do things. Look closely, and you'll see the texture of the paper shining through. That's important, because it's all about the physicality of making art. The black ink isn't trying to hide or disappear; it's bold. It's the star of the show, weaving around the bouquet and figure as if each mark is a thread. Notice how the line moves up towards the face, this is mirrored in the bouquet that the figure holds. It's a simple gesture, but it ties everything together. You can almost hear Chagall chuckling as he made this, in the way a Cy Twombly or Joan Mitchell might, creating a little world of emotion and form that feels both deeply personal and joyously open-ended.