“Jacob Wrestling with the Angel” is a religious painting by Marc Chagall, created circa 1963 in France. The artwork, which belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement, utilizes pastel, pencil, and watercolor on paper and measures 48 by 40 centimeters.
The artwork depicts a biblical scene where Jacob wrestles with an angel. The figures are rendered in an ethereal, almost dreamlike manner, characteristic of Chagall’s unique style. The background is dominated by subtle, muted hues, allowing the subjects to stand out, particularly the angel, highlighted in white and yellow, contrasting with Jacob’s dark, earth-toned figure. Splashes of color, including a vivid red and soft blue, contribute to the overall mystical aura of the scene. The composition’s simplicity and expressive use of line and color encapsulate the Naïve Art movement’s essence, conveying profound spiritual themes through a seemingly simplistic yet deeply evocative visual language.
