Marc Chagall’s Naomi and Her Daughters-In-Law

        Chagall uses many thought-provoking things in his depiction of Naomi and her Moabite daughters. On the surface, the image is obviously from the part of the book where Naomi is urging Orpah and Ruth to go back to their people in Moab. Both girls are against this, but Ruth more vehemently than Orpah. The way the girl on the left of Naomi is frowning and grabbing Naomi’s breast, like a child would, makes me believe that is Ruth. Orpah stands in the background, looking sad, but content to return to her people. The darkness behind the women represents all of the sadness and grief they have experienced. The illumination of the women represents hope for the future, while the red setting sun reminds the audience that they must work every day to overcome their hardships. Nothing comes easy for the women of the bible.

        Ruth 1:12-22 is probably the most moving part of the bible I’ve ever read. Ruth is willing to give up everything- her homeland, her family, her culture- in order to care for Naomi, who is only related to her by marriage. “The main theme of Ruth is chesed, a Hebrew term used to describe loyalty or faithfulness, born of a sense of caring and commitment.”*  Ruth is used as an example for how people should treat their faith: fearlessly and without hesitation. She throws herself into a new life with Naomi, as Christians should throw themselves into a new life with God. Chagall’s represents this in his depiction of the lamb in the bottom left corner of the image. He is comparing Naomi to Christ, the lamb of God. As such, we should follow the lamb just as Ruth is following Naomi.

       Along with the theme of the lamb, emptiness and fullness are big themes in this painting. Chagall, unknowingly or not, gets this across with Ruth touching Naomi’s breast. A child would touch or suckle their mother’s breast to see of it contained milk. Ruth is depicted touching it to show her need for a relationship with the mother figure Naomi represents. Furthermore, Ruth probably wouldn’t have been more than fifteen years old in this scenario, which in our society is still considered a child. The stress and panic of losing her husband probably had Ruth feeling very empty and alone. Naomi filled a void, and provided the comfort Ruth was desperately craving.

      Without knowing the rest of the story, I think this painting would leave audiences feeling somewhat empty. Here are these three women, with no husbands, and almost nowhere to go. They are amidst the darkness of the world around them, huddling together. But if the bottom left corner is looked at, HE can be seen. The lamb is on the move.

*Mays, 262