The artwork titled “Asking the Way,” created by Marc Chagall around 1923 in Paris, France, is an etching on paper that exemplifies the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. This illustration is part of the “Dead Souls” series and is housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
The artwork appears to depict a rustic, likely rural scene, characterized by measured simplicity and use of delicate lines typical of an etching. In the foreground, a bearded man with a hat sits on a cart drawn by a horse, interacting with a woman who is gesturing with her hands. The composition is notably marked by whimsical details and a sense of narrative interaction between the characters, invoking a quaint yet lively exchange, possibly inquiring for directions, as suggested by the title. The background reveals a serene pastoral environment, complete with diminutive homes and trees, adding depth to the illustration’s setting.
