The artwork, titled “Deborah the prophetess urges Barak to raise an army and give battle to the army of Jabin (Judges IV, 4-9),” was created by Marc Chagall around 1956 in France. This etching on paper belongs to the art movement known as Naïve Art (Primitivism) and measures 32.9 by 26.8 cm. As part of the religious painting genre, it is one of the pieces in the “Etchings for the Bible” series, which was produced from 1930 to 1939 and from 1952 to 1956.
The artwork depicts a biblical scene where the prophetess Deborah is exhorting Barak to mobilize an army to confront the forces of Jabin. The etching technique used by Chagall imparts a certain earnest and emotive quality to the piece, characteristic of his style in the Naïve Art movement. The composition portrays Deborah seated beneath a tree, her hands outstretched in a gesture of urgency and persuasion, while Barak stands before her, listening intently. The background features minimalistic details, drawing attention to the interaction between the two central figures. The etching captures a moment of divine inspiration and human resolve, imbuing the narrative with a sense of profound spiritual and historical significance.
