David Sauve par Mical

Description of Art:  David Sauvé par Mical (“David Saved by Michal”) is Marc Chagall’s lyrical interpretation of the biblical episode from 1 Samuel 19:11–17, in which Michal, King Saul’s daughter and David’s wife, helps David escape from Saul’s assassins by lowering him from a window. Chagall, deeply inspired by Jewish scripture and folklore, transforms this dramatic moment into a poetic vision rich with emotion and symbolism.

The composition is characteristically Chagall: dreamlike, floating, and filled with narrative detail. David is depicted mid-escape, rendered with a graceful, almost weightless pose as he is lowered from the window. Michal, luminous and tender, watches over the scene from above, her figure suffused with a sense of love and urgency. Around them, Chagall weaves a tapestry of symbolic elements—village rooftops, animals, and celestial motifs—reminding viewers that this drama is both earthly and spiritual.

The color palette is radiant: deep blues and lush reds dominate, punctuated with glowing highlights that lend the work its emotional intensity. Chagall’s signature fluid line and delicate washes of color create a composition that feels suspended between dream and memory, turning a biblical narrative into a universal meditation on loyalty, courage, and divine protection.

This work exemplifies Chagall’s ability to merge narrative storytelling with modernist innovation. David Sauvé par Mical is not merely an illustration of scripture—it is an act of devotion, a visual psalm that captures the humanity and transcendence of its characters.