At Table 1922 - 1923

This lithograph is by Marc Chagall, and shows a figure sat at a table. The wobbly lines and simplified forms give the impression of an image remembered, drawn from the mind’s eye. Chagall's marks feel like wandering thoughts made visible. Look at how the table and chair are rendered with such a tentative touch, as though they are dissolving into the ground. The artist is most interested in the figure and the writing. There is a beautiful contrast between the solid black hair of the figure and the more delicately rendered lines which define the rest of the composition. The image as a whole has a dreamlike quality. The artist is using the lithographic crayon to give us an intimate glimpse into the imagination, like other great artists such as Odilon Redon. Ultimately, the work reminds us that art is a space for experimentation, imagination, and the embrace of uncertainty.