Lust III (La Luxure III) from The Seven Deadly Sins (Les Sept péchés capitaux)

Lust III (La Luxure III) from The Seven Deadly Sins (Les Sept péchés capitaux) is a significant print by Marc Chagall, created in 1925 and published the following year. This striking piece is one element from a portfolio comprising sixteen etching and drypoints, through which Chagall visually interpreted the traditional vices of humanity. The chosen medium highlights the artist’s mastery of graphic technique, using the etching process to establish precise lines while employing drypoint to create rich, velvety burrs that deepen the contrasts and texture within the image. The complexity of the technique aligns this work firmly within the esteemed tradition of French printmaking prevalent during the 1920s.

Chagall’s approach to the subject of Lust is characteristic of his early Surrealist inclinations. Rather than a straightforward depiction, the composition blends mythological and psychological elements, presenting a dense, chaotic scene that reflects the moral and spiritual turbulence associated with the vice. The piece utilizes expressive distortion and a claustrophobic arrangement of figures to convey the overwhelming nature of the sin. This interpretation aligns with the artist’s broader interest in folklore and allegorical narrative, common throughout his oeuvre.

Executed during a vibrant period of artistic innovation in Paris, the visual language employed by Chagall reflects the psychological and cultural introspection common among post-World War I European artists. Though rooted in a traditional religious theme, Chagall filters the subject through a distinctly modern lens. This edition of the work is classified as a seminal example of the artist’s graphic production from the mid-1920s. As a crucial artifact documenting Chagall’s engagement with moral and expressive themes, this fine impression is held in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).