Marc Chagall (1887-1985) a Russian-born French painter and designer, distinguished for his surrealistic inventiveness. He is recognized as one of the most significant oil painters of the 20th century. His colors are usually very rich and most of his subjects are poetic evocations of Russian-Jewish village life with a religious sentiment.

The oil painting, I and the Village is a clear example of Chagall turned the picture plane into the mirror of memory. Without any impasto, the brushwork remains spontaneous. The fascinating surface pattern of the painting is energized by the hallucinatory contents of the picture. On the right, solidly positioned in the constructive framework, appears the sliced-off, greenly illuminated profile of a man. In amazement he stress fixedly at a white cows head. Their intimate relationship is indicted by the fine line which connects the two eyes so steadfastly together.