The artwork titled “Noah and the Rainbow” is a religious painting by Marc Chagall, created around 1963 in France. This piece is an oil on canvas that measures 33 x 41 cm and is associated with the Surrealism art movement. The genre and title suggest a biblical narrative, likely depicting the moment after the Great Flood when a rainbow appears as a sign of God’s covenant with Noah.
In this portrayal, Chagall employs a vivid and expressive color palette with a dominant blue and green background, perhaps representing the sky and the receding waters after the flood. A central rainbow arcs across the canvas, rendered in bright yellow with hints of other colors. The scene below the rainbow is animated with a motley assemblage of human and animal figures, which may represent Noah, his family, and the various creatures that were saved from the deluge. Their forms are abstracted and intermingled, capturing the sense of miracle and hope associated with the story. The figures are loose, fluid, and somewhat ethereal, which is characteristic of Chagall’s dream-like and often sentimental approach to his subjects. The artwork, in its execution and subject matter, invites contemplation on themes of deliverance, divine promise, and the renewal of life.
