The artist – Shagal
After returning to Vitebsk from Paris, in 1914-1915, Chagall writes a series of paintings, which then exhibits in St. Petersburg. The exhibition catalog includes such works as „Green Jew “, „Jew with a bag “, „Jew with violin “. „Red Jew “(at the exhibition this work appeared, obviously, under the name „A Jew with the letters “) maybe it is certainly ranked to the most dramatic canvases of this cycle. And the coloristic tonality declared in the later name of the picture plays an important role in this. It is the color that transforms the type of poor old man-Jew into the image of truly tragic and endows it with epic strength.
Russian Museum. From the icon to the present. 2005. WITH. 276.