Marc ChagallBelarusian, French, 1887–1985Le Berger et son troupeau
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Le Berger et son troupeau” now? Collection: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Minneapolis, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Parisian publisher Ambroise Vollard first commissioned Chagall to design book
illustrations for a deluxe edition of Jean de la Fontaine's Fables in 1926. Vollard's
decision to use a Russian-born artist to illustrate a revered French text drew some
criticism, but Vollard defended his choice by saying the fables were part of Asia Minor's oral tradition, not France's, and would benefit from being drawn by an artist from the East. Between 1927 and 1930, Chagall produced 100 etched plates to illustrate the fables, but the project was delayed by Vollard's untimely death in 1939 and the outbreak of World War II. It was finally completed in 1952 under the Parisian publisher Tériade.
Read on
In this etching, Chagall interprets a fable by the Italian writer Abstemius (c. 1440–1508), which tells of a shepherd who harangues his flock to stand as one against a ravenous wolf. Though they pledge to stand and fight, nature prevails and the flock flees at the first sight of the wolf's shadow. Abstemius ends his tale by comparing the fleeing animals with craven soldiers who lose their fighting spirit at the first sound of battle.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 2013.28
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris
In the life of Marc Chagall
The whole life1926
First Exhibition in the United States
In 1926 Chagall's first American exhibition, of about 100 works, was held at the Reinhardt Galleries in New York; the artist himself did not attend the opening.
1931
Journey to Palestine
In 1931, at the invitation of Meir Dizengoff, he traveled with his family to Tel Aviv and spent two months in the Holy Land; he later said that Palestine had given him "the most vivid impression of his life."
1941
Arrest in Marseille and Rescue by Varian Fry
In April 1941 Chagall and his wife were stripped of their French citizenship; they were arrested along with other Jews at the Hôtel Moderne in Marseille. Varian Fry secured the artist's release, as he was included on the list of cultural figures to be rescued by the United States.
1941
Travel: United States
June 1941
Emigration to the United States
On 10 June 1941 Chagall and Bella sailed from Lisbon on the Portuguese ship Mouzinho and arrived at Staten Island on 21 June; during the voyage the artist gave drawing lessons to 119 refugee children.
2 September 1944
Death of Bella
On 2 September 1944 Bella died suddenly of a streptococcal infection: the hospital had no penicillin because of wartime restrictions. Chagall stopped working for many months; nine months later he painted The Wedding Lights and Around Her in memory of his wife.
