The artwork, titled “Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar as the prophecy of Jeremiah (Jeremiah, XXI, 4-7),” is an etching on paper created by Marc Chagall around 1956 in France. It belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and is a part of the “Etchings for the Bible” series, which Chagall worked on from 1930-1939 and 1952-1956. This religious painting measures 31.5 x 26 cm and vividly captures the prophecy from the Book of Jeremiah.
The etching depicts an apocalyptic scene where the city of Jerusalem is under divine and military siege, symbolized by a giant angelic figure hovering ominously above. The angel, with a distressed expression, dominates the upper part of the artwork, exuding a sense of impending doom. Below, the city burns and a throng of anguished figures gestures in despair and supplication. The composition is heavily detailed, with Chagall’s characteristic swirling lines and expressive figures that evoke a sense of urgency and divine intervention. The contrast between the ethereal presence of the angel and the terrestrial turmoil reflects the tension between the prophetic divine vision and earthly suffering.
