“The Jacob’s Dream” by Marc Chagall, created circa 1963 in France, is a Surrealist piece rendered using charcoal, Indian ink, and pencil on paper. The artwork dimensions are 35.7 x 53 cm and it falls under the genre of sketch and study.
The artwork portrays a surreal and symbolic representation. Dominating the composition on the left is a ladder, ascending toward the sky, reminiscent of the biblical story of Jacob’s ladder. Various figures seem to interact or emerge from the ladder, symbolizing ascension and perhaps divine encounters. To the right, a striking figure resembling an ethereal or angelic being with wings departs from the ordinary and ventures into the realm of surrealism. The artwork’s use of shades of black and gray, along with its fluid, expressive lines, contributes to its dreamlike quality. Chagall’s characteristic poetic symbolism is evident throughout, merging the tangible with the mystical.
