The artwork titled “A doorman doesn’t permit Tchitchikov to visit a governor” was created by Marc Chagall circa 1923 in Paris, France. Executed using the medium of etching on paper, it belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and falls under the genre of illustration. This piece is part of the “Dead Souls” series and is housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
The artwork depicts a scene where a doorman, standing firmly with a gesture of refusal, is preventing Tchitchikov from visiting a governor. The doorman, whose facial expression is strict, uses his hands to signal a halt, while Tchitchikov, slightly turned away, holds a cap or hat as if in mid-motion. The background features a decorated wall and a door, suggesting an indoor setting which adds to the narrative essence of the scene. The entire composition is rendered with Chagall’s distinctive style, characterized by exaggerated proportions and naive detailing, aligning fittingly with the Naïve Art movement.
