Accession Number
59718
Medium
Pen and black ink on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
45 × 28.5 cm (17 3/4 × 11 1/4 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Credit Line
Gift of Marc Chagall
Background & Context
Background Story
Marc Chagall's Artist, Palette and Donkey II (1946) is a pen and black ink drawing on ivory laid paper. Chagall (1887-1985) was one of the most beloved modern artists, known for his dreamlike, poetic imagery drawn from Jewish folklore, Russian life, and biblical themes. This drawing shows an artist with a palette and a donkey, combining the world of the studio with the rural world of animals in Chagall's characteristically playful, imaginative style. The pen and ink technique is fluid and expressive, the lines capturing the forms with the freedom of the artist's imagination.
Cultural Impact
Chagall was one of the most original artists of the 20th century, creating a personal visual language that drew on folklore, dream, and memory.
Why It Matters
This playful drawing of an artist, palette, and donkey captures the free, poetic imagination that defined Chagall's art.
