Dispute Between Pliouchkine and Mavra (Dispute de Pliouchkine et de Mavra), plate XLVI (supplementary suite) from Les Âmes mortes is an etching and drypoint created by Marc Chagall in 1923. This specific plate is classified as an illustrated book supplement, forming part of a comprehensive suite designed to accompany Nikolai Gogol’s seminal Russian novel, Dead Souls.
The work originates from a key period in Chagall's graphic arts career, shortly after his return to Paris. Although the subject matter is deeply rooted in Russian literature, the formal execution and technical refinement reflect the high standard of French printmaking prevalent during the early 20th century. Chagall utilized the challenging media of etching and drypoint to interpret Gogol’s dark satire. The etching process provides the foundational structure, while the drypoint needle adds rich, blurred lines and textured shadows, lending a nervous, expressive quality essential for depicting the novel’s moral decay.
The narrative scene captures the confrontation referenced in the title, focusing on the character of Pliouchkine, the famously impoverished and obsessive miser, engaged in a dispute with Mavra. Chagall distills the figures into stark, essential forms. The deliberate lack of color emphasizes the psychological tension and the grotesque nature of the interaction, a stylistic choice characteristic of his Dead Souls prints produced during the 1923-48 period. Chagall’s ability to translate complex literary themes into a unique, stylized visual language established this series as a masterwork of book illustration.
As one of the supplementary prints, Dispute Between Pliouchkine and Mavra offers important insight into the artist’s broader vision for the project. The work stands as a testament to Chagall’s versatility across media and his profound engagement with major literary texts. This significant example of modern graphic arts resides in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
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