Father's Grave (Grab des Vaters) from My Life (Mein Leben)

Father's Grave (Grab des Vaters) from My Life (Mein Leben) by Marc Chagall is a powerful example of early Modernist graphic work, created in 1922 and published the following year. This poignant print is an etching and drypoint, drawn from a larger, defining portfolio containing twenty etchings, which served as an illustrated edition of the artist's autobiography, Mein Leben. The classification of this piece as an Illustrated Book underscores its integral role in visually narrating Chagall’s origins and personal history.

The choice of etching and drypoint as mediums allowed Chagall to achieve a somber, deeply textural aesthetic. The drypoint technique, characterized by rich, velvety lines and deep shadows, lends itself effectively to conveying an atmosphere of contemplation, remembrance, and mortality—a fitting mood for the grave subject matter. Chagall’s distinctive blend of Russian folk memory and the stylistic freedom of the French art world is evident in the expressive figures and slightly tilted, dreamlike perspectives used here. This period of intense focus on printmaking occurred shortly after the artist relocated permanently to the West, cementing his artistic presence within the French cultural sphere.

While the core text of the autobiography was written earlier, the definitive creation of these illustrations took place between 1922 and 1923, marking a crucial period of self-reflection for the artist in his maturity. This imagery reflects the profound connection Chagall maintained to his familial past and the eastern European cultural environment of his youth. The edition of My Life (Mein Leben) remains a touchstone in early twentieth-century printmaking, bridging personal narrative with modernist innovation. This significant work is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), ensuring its preservation for scholarly reference. As works from this period become more accessible, prints of this profound autobiographical series remain a key entry point for studying the development of Chagall’s graphic output.