The artwork titled “Proshka,” created by Marc Chagall around the year 1923 in Paris, France, is an etching on paper. It is part of the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and belongs to the illustration genre. This piece is included in Chagall’s “Dead Souls” series and is currently housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
In the artwork, a figure dressed in traditional garments and large boots is prominently depicted in the foreground, gazing downward with a somewhat contemplative expression. The background reveals a scene inside a room, depicted with a whimsical touch characteristic of Chagall’s style. Various items such as a samovar, furniture, and hanging objects contribute to the domestic scene, adding layers of narrative and memory. The etching technique utilized by Chagall showcases delicate and expressive lines, capturing the nuances and peculiarities of the scene with both simplicity and depth. The surreal and dreamlike quality of the composition evokes a sense of nostalgia and rural simplicity, hallmark traits of the Naïve Art movement.
