The artwork “Joshua prostrates himself before the angel sword-bearer, chief of the armies of the Lord (Joshua, V, 13-15)” was created by Marc Chagall circa 1956 in France. This etching on paper belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and measures 33 x 22.9 cm. The piece falls within the religious painting genre and is part of Chagall’s series “Etchings for the Bible” produced between 1930-1939 and 1952-1956.
In the artwork, a celestial and commanding figure, the angel sword-bearer, stands tall and resolute, gripping a sword in one hand while exuding an aura of divine authority. The angel’s wings are prominently spread wide, emphasizing the figure’s grandeur and otherworldly nature. At the angel’s feet lies Joshua, his posture deeply reverent and submissive as he prostrates himself in awe and humility before the heavenly being. The background is abstract, enhancing the focus on the central interaction, and ethereal rays of light beam down towards the angel, further signifying the divine encounter. The etching’s monochrome palette and expressive lines evoke a sense of spiritual intensity and reverence, characteristic of Chagall’s profound engagement with biblical themes.
