The artwork titled “Moses died looking to the Promised Land, where he should not enter (Deuteronomy XXXIV, 1 5)” was created by Marc Chagall around the year 1956 in France. This etching on paper is part of the “Etchings for the Bible” series, which spanned from 1930-1939 and 1952-1956. The dimensions of the piece are 31.3 x 25.4 cm. It falls under the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and belongs to the genre of religious painting.
In the artwork, Marc Chagall masterfully depicts the biblical scene where Moses gazes upon the Promised Land, which he is destined not to enter. The etching portrays Moses reclining with a look of both resignation and reverence, his body bathed in a divine light that guides his final moments. Above him, a spiritual figure, presumably a representation of God, looks down, bridging the earthly and the divine. The monochromatic tones lend a somber yet deeply spiritual quality to the scene, capturing the profound moment of transition between life and death. The etching exemplifies Chagall’s unique ability to blend whimsical style with profound spiritual and narrative depth.
