“On Two Banks,” painted by Marc Chagall in 1956, is an oil on canvas work from the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. Measuring 148 x 102 cm, this genre painting resides in a private collection in France.
The artwork exhibits Chagall’s distinctive, dreamlike style, characterized by vibrant colors and fantastical imagery. In the composition, a figure with a yellow face appears to levitate on the left, holding what seems to be a bouquet. Above this, a large, green mythical creature gazes calmly. Below, a couple, possibly on their wedding day, stands in an intimate embrace, an ethereal ambiance enveloping them. Shadowy figures and structures fade into the background, blending into cool hues of blue and purple. The scene elicits a sense of otherworldliness, intertwining elements of fantasy and reality.
