An Old Jew (Ein alter Jude) from My Life (Mein Leben)

An Old Jew (Ein alter Jude) from My Life (Mein Leben) is a powerful graphic work created by Marc Chagall in 1922 and formally published in 1923. This piece originates from a critical period of the artist's career following his return to Western Europe, and it serves as one of twenty etchings illustrating his autobiography, Mein Leben. The technique utilized for the portfolio is exacting: etching combined with drypoint, a method that afforded Chagall a range of tonality, from crisp, fine lines to rich, atmospheric areas where the drypoint burr captured dense ink.

The creation of the Mein Leben portfolio was pivotal, allowing the artist to translate the vivid, emotionally charged memories of his childhood in the Russian Jewish community of Vitebsk into the language of prints. Chagall, working within the sphere of French graphic arts during the early 1920s, focused the composition on a solitary figure who embodies the cultural and historical weight of the Jewish experience that permeated his youth. Although classified broadly as an Illustrated Book, the individual prints, including An Old Jew (Ein alter Jude), possess a profound pictorial strength, demonstrating Chagall’s mastery of line and shadow to evoke deep psychological presence.

Chagall used the stark contrast inherent in the print medium to emphasize the expression and texture of the subject's face and clothing. This dramatic, graphic approach contrasts with the colorful, fantastical oil paintings for which he is perhaps best known, underscoring his versatility across media. Today, high-quality prints from this influential series remain cornerstones of modern art collections. This specific impression, a key example from the 1922 series, is held within the esteemed collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).