The artwork titled “Sobakevich near armchair,” created by Marc Chagall around 1923 in Paris, France, is an etching on paper belonging to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. As an illustration, it forms part of the “Dead Souls” series and is currently housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
In this artwork, a stout, somewhat stocky figure stands prominently and faces a tall cylindrical object. His posture is slightly hunched, with one arm hanging by his side. The background is minimal, emphasizing the simplicity and the essence of the character depicted. The floor beneath him appears to be wooden, as suggested by the hatch lines, which also contribute to the etching’s texture and depth. An armchair is seen at the right, symbolizing an element of domesticity in this otherwise stark composition. The figure’s facial features and attire are rendered with distinct, deliberate lines, giving him a rough, almost caricature-like resemblance, typical of Chagall’s illustrative approach in this series.
