“Ruth Gleaning” is a lithograph on paper created in 1960 by Marc Chagall in France. This artwork, measuring 52.5 x 38 cm, is a part of the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and belongs to the genre of religious painting. It is one of the Bible lithographs series produced in 1960.
The artwork depicts a biblical scene that is likely centered around the figure of Ruth, who is gleaning the fields, an act mentioned in the biblical text. The composition features abstract and simplified forms, typical of Naïve Art, and employs a warm color palette dominated by earth tones and reds. Two figures are discernible: one appears to be Ruth holding a bundle of gleaned wheat, and another figure who might represent a fellow worker or observer. The background is indistinct and abstract, creating a sense of timelessness and focusing attention on the human figures and their interaction. The stylized and dreamlike quality of the artwork is characteristic of Chagall’s unique approach to religious themes.
