Marie Vorobieff Marevna

Paris, Grand Palais, “De la Bible à nos jours” , June 6-July 28, 1985, no. 71, p. 360
Geneva, Musée du Petit Palais, “Le chat et ses amis, de Steinlen à Foujita”, February 1- June 15, 1990, no. 20
Geneva, Musée du Petit Palais, Rétrospective Marevna, April - May 1991
London, Wildenstein Gallery, “Marevna and Montparnasse”, June 17- September 16, 1992
Moscow, State Tretyakov Gallery,  “Marevna”, 2004, catalogue no. 109, pp. 152-153

The present work, an incredibly accomplished and joyous composition, specifically cites Chaim Soutine's vivid childhood recollection of the sabbath.  In Marevna's memoirs, she explains, ``Soutine had the world of a wondrous imagination to help him surmount the misery of his early years. Some aspects of his childhood made a profound impression on him, such as the celebration of the Sabbath, which Soutine recalled vividly and recounted to me in detail.  The seven-branched candlestick would be lighted and then the men of the family, all with beards and side-curls, wearing skullcaps and long kaftans, would form themselves into a circle while the women and children would seat themselves on benches against the walls.  The men, arms around eachother's shoulders, would begin intoning a slow chant, gently swaying from left to right, then from right to left, gradually speeding up the rhythm of the ritual song and dance until the chant became a sobbing moan and the figures in the circle could no longer be distinguished.  Little Chaim would tremble with excitement and press himself against his mother's knee, he was moved to tears by the dizzying whirl of dancers and the sight of the enormous black shadows flitting over the walls and ceiling, lending a fantastic aspect to the scene.'' (Marevna, Life with the Painters of La Ruche,  pp. 13-15 ).

A portrait of the young Soutine appears in the lower left of the composition.