Marc Chagall Aleko and his Wife Zemphira, 1955.

This enchanting moonlight scene depicts Aleko and his wife, Zemphira from an old Russian tale of love. Chagall, commissioned to illustrate and create backdrops for the ballet of Aleko, uses the story's emotion, passion, and excitement to inspire this work. In it, he embraces his wife under the light of a brilliant moon; the bright red rooster augments the deep, rich hues of the midnight blue, used to signify virility and re-birth. The bright red color also represents the passion of love, and the contrast between the deep blue and the vibrant red is striking. Like many of Chagall's more romantic works, the couple is floating above a town that we see detailed in the foreground, making them appear separate from time - where they can embrace alone forever.

The story follows Aleko, an old and tired husband, devoted to his young, hapless wife. We follow him through a journey in which true love is revealed and explained to him, his values challenged, and his morals questioned. It is a tale reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy that Chagall uses as a foundation to create an equally rich and inspiring work.

Created in 1955, this artwork is based on the original oil on canvas by Marc Chagall from 1951. Published by Maeght and printed by Georges Visat, this color etching and aquatint is numbered from the edition of 300, and hand-signed by Marc Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887 - Saint-Paul, 1985) in pencil in the lower right margin.