The Romance Begins

Here is Chagall's interesting interpre-tation of the developing romance between Ruth and Boaz. If you look closely you can see, in the negative space between the two shocks of barley, a woman's figure. As Ruth lies nude below the shocks, Boaz embraces the negative-space figure of the woman (is this his dream? Is it hers?). Notice that the sickle he holds in his hand is held very delicately, not in any threatening way, and suggests the curve of a woman's breast. Notice also the way he is almost "embracing" the negative space . . . holding the woman of his dreams?