“The Soldier Drinks (Le soldat boit)” (ca. 1923-24), Marc Chagall - MH

This painting by Marc Chagall (b.1887, Belarus, Russia-1985, Saint-Paul de Vence, France) highlights the Modern theme of the dichotomy between inwards reflection and outwards interaction. The distorted, fragmented body of the soldier is indicative of his violent occupation, which not only ruins others, but also himself. This abstraction also represents the fragmented world after the First World War, an obviously harrowing experience (for it shattered his body). His right hand points towards the window, a reflection of the outside world, yet his body is entirely turned away. Could this indicate a removal of the soldier from his past, one filled with wars and violence? The quizzical look on his face occurs as an almost judgment of the world past the window, perhaps showing his analyses and opinion of the world from which he appears to remove himself (even if it’s simply for a drink). The hovering cap reveals the top of his head in an attempt to allow us into the soldier’s thoughts. Instead of being outside in the world, the soldier remains indoors and drinks (what, we do not know) out of a glass one-third the size of his hand. The dichotomy the soldier displays, of remaining indoors but acknowledging the village beyond the window, also represents the Modernist struggle between oneself and the outside world.

http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/artwork/801

Gouache on paper, Guggenheim Museum Online Collection

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