Moses on the Mount
1931/1939
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View on museum website →Medium
etching and soft-ground etching on wove paper (trial proof)
Dimensions
plate: 37 x 27.4 cm (14 9/16 x 10 13/16 in.) sheet: 37.2 x 27.9 cm (14 5/8 x 11 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gerhard E. Pinkus
Accession Number
1998.82.13
Art Historical Context
Marc Chagall's *Moses on the Mount*1931/1939) a pivotal biblical moment—the prophet Moses receiving divine revelation on Mount Sinai—in the artist's signature dreamlike style. Blending elements of Cubism, Symbol, and Fauvism, Chagall infuses the scene with floating figures, vibrant colors, and symbolism, evoking a sense of spiritual transcendence. Created during a turbulent period in Chagall's life, he navigated exile from Russia and rising antisemitism in Europe, work reflects his deep connection to Jewish heritage and scripture, transforming sacred history into a poetic, personal vision. Th...
About the Artist
Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall, born Moishe Shagal on July 7, 1887, in Liozna near Vitebsk in the Russian Empire (now Belarus), grew up as the eldest of nine children in a devout Jewish family confined to the Pale of Settlement. His father worked as a herring merchant's porter, while his mother sold groceries from home, instilling in young Chagall a deep connection to Hasidic Judaism and Eastern European folklore a...