Fire in the City (Feuer in der Stadt) from My Life (Mein Leben)

Fire in the City (Feuer in der Stadt) from My Life (Mein Leben) is an evocative etching created by Marc Chagall in 1922. This print is one of twenty illustrations composing the complete portfolio associated with the artist’s autobiography, Mein Leben. The primary technique used is etching, enhanced by drypoint in fifteen of the overall plates, providing exceptional depth and texture to the lines. The portfolio, a key example of the illustrated book classification, was formally published in 1923.

As a work of early 1920s French culture, the imagery reflects Chagall's complex history and his distinctive synthesis of Eastern European memory and Parisian modernism. This particular plate, Fire in the City, captures the emotional intensity and turmoil characteristic of the artist's life narrative. The composition often features Chagall's signature repertoire of gravity-defying figures, domestic animals, and familiar architectural elements, all rendered in the stark, powerful, monochromatic language inherent to etching. Chagall’s masterful handling of the intaglio process allows for deep, rich velvety blacks and dramatic contrasts of shadow and light, emphasizing the thematic turbulence suggested by the title.

The creation of these prints in 1922 cemented the artist’s reputation as a pivotal figure in modern graphic arts, complementing his established success as a painter. This portfolio stands as a prime example of the resurgence and importance of artist-illustrated books in post-World War I French printmaking. This exceptional work, created in 1922 and published 1923, is preserved in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), ensuring its ongoing availability for research and public viewing. Today, this important piece is widely accessible among historical fine art prints, often available in the public domain for study.