The miller, his son and donkey. (Le meunier, son fils et l'ane) From : The Fables of La Fontaine.

Here, Marc Chagall uses simple lines to bring a modernist sensibility to a traditional tale. The etching was an early proof for his illustrations of La Fontaine’s Fables, a classic of 17th-century French literature.

In the story, passers-by criticise a father and son’s various decisions to ride or lead their donkey. Trying to please everyone, the pair finally carry the animal themselves – with disastrous consequences for the donkey.

Chagall’s etching was acquired by the National Art Gallery in the 1980s. Its purchase was part of an effort to represent the works of important modern artists in New Zealand.