Vollard and the Beginnings
In 1930, the noted Parisian art dealer Ambroise Vollard commissioned Marc Chagall to execute a series of original etchings illustrating the Old Testament. Vollard wanted to be remembered as the publisher of the modern Bible, but died unexpectedly in 1939, just one day after Chagall completed the work. After World War II, Chagall and his daughter Ida retrieved the plates and in 1958 The Bible was successfully published.

The Holy Land
In 1931, Chagall traveled with his family to Palestine, Syria, and Egypt to seek inspiration for this project. While there, he enjoyed provocative conversations with Jewish scholars and poets. He was overwhelmed by the arid landscape and sharp light which he captured in numerous outdoor sketches for The Bible.

Vitebsk: Chagall's Magical Childhood
Chagall grew up in Vitebsk, Russia, a center for the Hasidic sect of Judaism. The mystical traditions of Hasidism found holiness in everyday objects and in the joy of signing and dancing. This all-embracing spirituality is an important part of The Bible, where Chagall shows common men and women as the stars or tragic heroes of the Old Testament stories.

The Art of Etching
By the time Chagall began working on The Bible in 1931, he had mastered the art of etching, the most time-consuming and demanding of the printmaking techniques. Rosensaft noted that "etchings allowed for much more complex possibilities in terms of tonal intensity, texture, and patterning." The expertise and inventiveness of the resulting works led critic Robert Marteau to call The Bible "the single greatest masterpiece of engraving of our age." Chagall further enhanced these masterful etchings with vibrant watercolors applied by hand.

Impact of The Bible
The Bible marked a crucial turning point for Chagall. His growing maturity as an artist helped him definitively capture the essence of his religious experiences in Vitesbk and the Holy Land. In The Bible, Chagall created not only a masterpiece of etching, but also an important source for his future paintings, stained glass windows, and sculpture. The Bible clearly inspired the works which form the foundation of Chagall's monumental legacy, the Museum of the Biblical Message in Nice.