The artwork, titled “Russian Village Under the Moon,” was created by Marc Chagall in 1911 in Paris, France. This oil painting on canvas is a part of the Cubism movement and falls under the landscape genre. Measuring 126 x 104 cm, the piece is currently housed in the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, Germany.
The artwork presents an abstract depiction of a rural Russian village bathed in the glow of the moon. Chagall employs vivid colors and geometric shapes to create a sense of dynamism and movement within the composition. The upper portion of the painting features a stylized moon above a small house with smoke gently rising from its chimney. Various geometric forms, such as circles, triangles, and rectangles, dominate the canvas, reflecting the Cubist influence. A figure appears to be holding or directing a goat, adding an element of narrative to the scene. The lower half of the painting contains more intricate details of the village, visible through fractured planes and bold hues, offering a glimpse into the everyday life of this fantastical locale. The combination of whimsical elements and dynamic abstraction makes this artwork a quintessential example of Chagall’s unique approach to Cubism.
