The artwork entitled “Pliushkin treats Tchtchikov,” created by Marc Chagall around 1923 in Paris, France, manifests the artist’s unique style in the medium of etching on paper. This piece, belonging to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement, functions as an illustration and is part of the “Dead Souls” series. Currently, it resides in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
In the artwork, an oversized and almost grotesque figure, presumably Pliushkin, dominates the scene with exaggerated facial features and hands, engrossed in an interaction with the smaller and more distant figure of Tchtchikov. The background consists of sparse, distorted elements that give an impression of an interior space, and a melancholic, whimsical atmosphere pervades the scene. The use of dark, heavy lines contrasts starkly with the lighter areas, creating a dramatic and somewhat surreal composition true to Chagall’s distinctive illustrative style.
