Grandfather's House (Haus des Grossvaters) from My Life ((Mein Leben)

Grandfather's House (Haus des Grossvaters) from My Life ((Mein Leben) is a poignant graphic work by Marc Chagall, executed in 1922 and formally published in 1923. The work is classified as an Illustrated Book component, specifically one of the twenty etchings (fifteen incorporating drypoint) that constitute the artist’s compelling visual autobiography, Mein Leben.

This piece showcases the artist's masterful command of the etching and drypoint media. The technique allows Chagall to juxtapose fine, precise lines with the rich, velvety burr characteristic of drypoint, resulting in a composition that feels both delicate and emotionally charged. This particular image renders the subject matter not through realistic representation, but through the lens of memory, typical of Chagall's output during this pivotal phase of his career.

While the artist was deeply entrenched in the French art world by 1922, the imagery recalls his childhood in Vitebsk, Russia. The composition depicts a house, often a symbol of stability and origin, rendered alongside figures that defy gravity and scale. This integration of everyday objects with fantastical elements reflects the dream-like qualities of his memory, merging past reality with present subjective experience.

These evocative prints formed a crucial part of Chagall’s artistic production after his return to Paris following the Russian Revolution. The portfolio served not only as a memoir but also as a demonstration of the artist's versatility in printmaking, cementing his reputation among the Parisian avant-garde. The finished set of prints, published in 1923, is a landmark example of early 20th-century illustrated literature. This impression of Grandfather's House is held within the esteemed permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).