“The Birthday,” an oil on canvas artwork created in 1915 by Marc Chagall in Liozna, near Vitebsk, Belarus, is a quintessential example of Naïve Art (Primitivism) and genre painting. This piece, measuring 80.5 x 99.5 cm, resides in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork captures a surreal, romantic moment within an intimate domestic space. A central, floating couple takes up much of the canvas, their expressions and poses are conveying an ethereal and joyous scene. Around them, the room is depicted with vivid colors and whimsical details, including a patterned carpet, furniture, and a window showing the exterior. The palette combines muted tones for the figures with bold, contrasting colors for the surroundings, creating a dreamlike aura consistent with Chagall’s unique artistic style.
