Chagall Bible

“Since my early youth, I have been fascinated by the Bible,” said Marc Chagall, believing it to be “the greatest source of poetry of all time.” In 1931, on commission from the legendary French art dealer Ambroise Vollard, Chagall set out to accomplish a gargantuan task: illustrate the Bible. Chagall, who came from Belarusian-Jewish heritage, quickly packed his bags for Palestine, hoping to find inspiration in the Holy Land. The resulting series, “The Bible,” spanned 25 years and two volumes, showing parables and figures from the Old and New Testaments in 105 etchings. “The Bible” was originally released as a portfolio, in an edition of 295 in black-and-white and 100 hand-colored and signed by the artist. These works—alongside the artist’s later series “Drawings for the Bible” (1958–1960)—reflect Chagall’s ongoing interest in the beauty and tragedy of humanity: “The Bible is like an echo of nature and this secret I have tried to transmit,” he explained.