The artwork titled “A Jew” was created by Marc Chagall around the year 1914 in Liozna, near Vitebsk, Belarus. This piece, executed with ink on paper, falls within the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and belongs to the portrait genre.
In this portrait, the artist utilizes bold and expressive lines to delineate the features of the subject. The face is rendered with exaggerated, almost abstract forms that emphasize the contours and expressions prominently. The combination of strong shadows and highlighting creates a stark contrast, drawing attention to the subject’s deep, introspective gaze. The texture and fluidity of the ink contribute to the raw, unpolished essence characteristic of Naïve Art, reflecting a direct and unpretentious approach. The thoughtful placement of lines around the eyes, nose, and mouth invites the viewer to contemplate the depth and character of the portrayed individual, making the artwork a striking and emotive study of human expression.
