Vitebsk, the Old Man Over the Village
c. 1914
Marc Chagall French, born Belarus, 1887-1985
France
Written in Hebrew above the snowy sky is the name of the city of Vitebsk, Marc Chagall’s birthplace. Often present in Chagall’s cityscapes is the image of the “wandering Jew,” carrying his cane and a sack of belongings on his back. Produced when Chagall was in Paris, this drawing can be seen as an image of the artist metaphorically carrying his home with him.
Black fiber-tipped pen and brush and black ink, with white gouache, over graphite, on off-white wove paper