“Surging Magic,” a lithograph on paper by Marc Chagall created in 1980 in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, exemplifies the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. This symbolic painting, with dimensions of 116 x 75.5 cm, features a fantastical composition rendered in the artist’s signature whimsical and dreamlike style.
The artwork depicts an enchanting scene filled with ethereal figures and animals. Dominated by a central female figure, the composition includes a floating man presenting a bouquet of flowers, conveying a sense of romance and otherworldliness. Surrounding them are various characters, including a donkey, a bird with wings outstretched, and several figures in the background, all rendered with fluid lines and soft, pastel colors. The moon and face at the top add a surreal element, while the overall ethereal quality of the piece reflects Chagall’s unique blend of symbolism and fantasy, characteristic of the Naïve Art movement.
