Wrath I (La Colère I) from The Seven Deadly Sins (Les Sept péchés capitaux)

Wrath I (La Colère I) from The Seven Deadly Sins (Les Sept péchés capitaux) by Marc Chagall is a potent graphic image created in 1925 and formally published in 1926. This powerful print is one of sixteen plates comprising the complete portfolio dedicated to the universal themes of human vice and morality. Executed using the demanding intaglio techniques of etching and drypoint, the work showcases Chagall’s command of line, utilizing intense cross-hatching and deep blacks to convey a sense of psychological turmoil. The dense, agitated quality characteristic of drypoint is instrumental here, visually embodying the intense, destructive energy associated with the emotion of wrath.

Though Marc Chagall is frequently associated with the cosmopolitan School of Paris, his powerful iconography draws heavily upon symbolic and deeply personal motifs, transforming the traditional archetypal sins into distinctly modern narratives. Produced during a prolific phase in the 1920s, this work demonstrates the artist’s commitment to exploring literary and biblical themes through printmaking. Chagall’s visual interpretation of Wrath I employs symbolic distortion and aggressive graphic forms typical of his graphic production during his French tenure.

As an essential example of 20th-century French printmaking, the full The Seven Deadly Sins portfolio is highly regarded for its technical brilliance and thematic scope. This specific etching and drypoint impression is maintained in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), recognizing its significance within Chagall’s comprehensive body of work. Due to the high number of high-quality prints produced during this period, images from this influential series often enter collections accessible to the public domain, securing the wide dissemination of this complex vision of human failing.