The artwork titled “By beating the Philistines, Saul killed himself by his own sword (I Samuel, XXXI, 2-6)” is a creation by Marc Chagall dated circa 1956 in France. This piece, executed in the medium of etching on paper, belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. The dimensions of the artwork are 32 x 24 cm, and it falls under the genre of religious painting. It is a part of Chagall’s series “Etchings for the Bible,” which spans the years 1930-1939 and 1952-1956.
The artwork presents a poignant and dramatic scene from the biblical narrative of King Saul’s demise, as recounted in the Book of Samuel. In the foreground, a figure, presumably Saul, is depicted in a contorted, agonizing posture with a sword plunged into himself. The exaggerated emotional intensity of the scene is enhanced through Chagall’s distinctive Naïve Art style, characterized by seemingly simple, child-like representations and heavily textured etching marks. In the background, vague and ghostly figures can be observed, adding to the somber and tragic atmosphere of the composition. Hilltops and a tent-like structure create a desolate landscape, reinforcing the anguish and isolation of the central figure. This piece is imbued with a deep sense of sorrow and despair, evocative of the biblical tragedy it illustrates.
