The artwork titled “Manoah and his wife, offering a sacrifice, saw the angel of the Lord flying in the flame (Judges, XIII, 17-23)” was created by Marc Chagall around 1956 in France. This piece is an etching that belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. It measures 33.1 by 24.2 centimeters and is a part of the “Etchings for the Bible” series, created between 1930-1939 and 1952-1956. The genre of the artwork is religious painting, illustrating a scene from the Bible.
The etching portrays a biblical scene where Manoah and his wife witness an angel of the Lord ascending in the flame of a sacrifice. The figures are depicted with a primitive simplicity characteristic of Naïve Art, emphasizing expressive and emotive forms over realistic representation. Manoah and his wife are shown in awe and supplication, gazing up at the angel who is depicted with outstretched wings and arms, rising amidst the flames. The contrast between the dark, textured lines and the light background creates a powerful visual narrative of divine encounter and spiritual revelation.
