The artwork entitled “Equestrienne” was created by the artist Marc Chagall in 1927 in Paris, France. This piece employs the medium of gouache on paper, a type of opaque watercolor, and it measures 51.1 x 99 cm. It is characterized by the Naïve Art movement, also known as Primitivism, which is often marked by a childlike simplicity and frankness in its visual rendering. The genre of the painting is identified as a nude painting (nu), highlighting the depiction of the naked human form. Currently, “Equestrienne” is part of a private collection.
The artwork presents a whimsical and vibrant scene that is typical of Chagall’s unique style, combining elements of fantasy with reality. The central figure in the painting is a nude woman, appearing as though she is reclining or perhaps riding atop a horse, which is a frequent motif in Chagall’s oeuvre. The woman is adorned with a decorative headdress and jewelry, adding a sense of opulent adornment to her otherwise exposed form. She holds a bouquet of flowers that contributes a sense of life and color to the scene. Floating above, the celestial bodies, such as a crescent moon and a full moon (or sun), further enhance the dreamlike atmosphere of the piece, suggesting a night or twilight setting. The use of bold colors and expressive lines, characteristic of Chagall’s work, imbues the artwork with a sense of emotion and poetic narrative.
