The artwork titled “Tchitchikov on his bed,” created by Marc Chagall, dates back to approximately 1923 in Paris, France. This piece, executed using the medium of etching on paper, falls within the art movement known as Naïve Art (Primitivism) and the genre of illustration. It forms part of the “Dead Souls” series and is currently housed in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
The artwork portrays a figure lying on a bed in a dimly lit room, likely Tchitchikov, the protagonist of Nikolai Gogol’s “Dead Souls.” The etching style conveys both simplicity and depth through its dynamic use of lines and shadows. The composition showcases a bedstead, a table with a candle, scattered pieces of clothing, and a small side chair, altogether emphasizing the intimate and somewhat cluttered nature of the setting. The figure appears to be in contemplation or perhaps melancholy, evoking a certain emotional introspection emblematic of Chagall’s evocative storytelling through visual art.
