Stomping upon Abel's lifeless body, his mouth open wide, Cain appears as though truly overcome by satanic forces. Cain, in a jealous craze, commits the first murder by stabbing Abel, his own brother, in the chest. Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887- Saint-Paul, 1985) creates a dramatic composition that resonates with Cain's sin. Against a yellow background, the bodies of the two figures -one victim and one criminal- are outlined in bright red - the color of blood. A black moon rests in the distant horizon with dark trees casting foreboding shadows upon the ground. Cain's hovering form over Abel's dead body forms a triangular shape that mimics the rounded curve of the horizon and places the two brothers at the center of the composition.
Created in 1960, this work was featured as part of a series of 24 color lithographs made by Marc Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887- Saint-Paul, 1985) to illustrate The Bible. Published by Verve, Paris and printed by Mourlot, Paris on Arches wove paper, this work is annotated epreuve H.C. (or, hors commerce proof) in pencil in the lower left margin (aside from 50 signed and numbered proofs) and hand-signed by Marc Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887- Saint-Paul, 1985) in pencil in the lower right margin.

Illustrated in:

1. Gauss, Ulrike, ed. Marc Chagall - The Lithographs, La Collection Sorlier. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 238.

2. Mourlot, Fernand. The Lithographs of Chagall, vol. II, 1957 - 1962. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 238 on pgs. 70-1; detailed on pg. 66.

3. Cramer, Patrick. Marc Chagall, The Illustrated Books: Catalogue Raisonné. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 42 on pgs. 144-