The Deposit (Les Arrhes), plate XXXVIIter (supplementary suite) from Les Âmes mortes

The Deposit (Les Arrhes), plate XXXVIIter (supplementary suite) from Les Âmes mortes is a significant graphic work by Marc Chagall, executed in 1923. Classified as an Illustrated Book component, this piece is part of a celebrated series of prints commissioned to illustrate Nikolai Gogol's satirical masterpiece, Dead Souls. Chagall utilized etching and drypoint techniques to create this plate, favoring the sharp lines and atmospheric quality inherent in the intaglio process. This approach allowed him to translate the novel's dark, bureaucratic humor and fantastical elements into a distinctive visual language characterized by expressive figures and dense composition.

The development of this suite marked a critical moment in Chagall's career, cementing his reputation as a master graphic artist working within the vibrant French art culture. Although the work was executed in 1923, the production and publication timeline of the complete illustrated volume spanned the larger period 1923-48. This print, along with others in the series, showcases Chagall’s unique adaptation of Cubist and Symbolist influences, applied specifically to the narrative demands of Gogol. The delicate drypoint adds textural richness, emphasizing the emotional intensity that distinguishes his prints from his contemporaneous canvases.

The image implied by the title, Les Arrhes (The Deposit), likely depicts a crucial, secretive transaction central to the novel’s plot, rendered with the artist's characteristic blend of melancholy and absurdity. As a key piece from this influential illustrated volume, this etching provides insight into the period when Chagall moved fluidly between painting and printmaking, utilizing both to explore themes of memory, folklore, and displacement. This highly important example of 20th-century French graphic art is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, ensuring its availability for study and appreciation.