The Arrival of Tchtichikov (L'Arrivée de Tchitchikov), plate I (supplementary suite) from Les Âmes mortes

The Arrival of Tchtichikov (L'Arrivée de Tchitchikov), plate I (supplementary suite) from Les Âmes mortes, is a profound example of graphic illustration created by Marc Chagall in 1923. Classified as an Illustrated Book component, this powerful image was realized using the technically demanding media of etching and drypoint. The print is part of a series commissioned by the renowned Parisian publisher and art dealer Ambroise Vollard, illustrating Nikolai Gogol’s satirical 19th-century novel, Dead Souls.

Chagall’s approach to illustrating Gogol’s dark comedy is characterized by his signature blending of Russian folk imagery with modernist abstraction. The medium of etching, particularly when combined with the scratching action of drypoint, allowed Chagall to achieve a rich texture and sharp, almost frenetic linework that mirrors the chaotic and absurd nature of the narrative. The plate captures the introduction of the protagonist, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, an ambitious schemer whose arrival sets the plot in motion. Chagall renders the scene with fragmented figures and dynamic compositions that reflect the psychological intensity underlying the social satire.

Although the source material is fundamentally Russian, the execution of this Illustrated Book series firmly positions it within the context of French printmaking during the 1923-48 period, when Chagall was living and working in Paris. The series is celebrated as one of the most successful collaborations between a modernist artist and a classic literary text. The existence of a “supplementary suite,” from which this image derives, highlights the importance placed on these graphic works, often collected independently of the full folio. The work resides within the distinguished collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), recognizing its pivotal role in the history of 20th-century printmaking. Today, high-quality prints of this seminal work continue to influence contemporary graphic artists.