Marc Chagall

• 1. Vitebsk's Wooden Streets

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  In 1887, Moishe Shagal was born into a Jewish family in Liozna, near the city of Vitebsk. The town held about 66,000 people at that time. More than half of those residents were Jewish. A picturesque place of churches and synagogues, locals called it the Russian Toledo after a former Spanish Empire city. Most buildings stood made of wood. Little survived years of occupation during World War II. Chagall grew up as the eldest of nine children. His father worked hard carrying heavy barrels for a herring merchant. He earned 20 roubles each month while average wages across the empire sat at 13 roubles. His mother sold groceries from their home. One main source of income for Jews came from clothing manufacture sold throughout the Russian Empire. They also made furniture and various agricultural tools. From the late 18th century to the First World War, Imperial Russia confined Jews within the Pale of Settlement. This area included modern Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. It almost exactly matched territory taken over by Imperial Russia in the late 18th century. That led to creation of Jewish market-villages known as shtetls. These villages had their own markets, schools, hospitals, and other community institutions. Chagall wrote as a boy: I felt at every step that I was a Jew. People made me feel it. During a pogrom he recalled street lamps going out. He felt panicky especially before butchers windows. There you could see calves still alive lying beside hatchets and knives. When asked if he was a Jew, he thought his pockets were empty and legs weak. He wanted to live.

• 2. Parisian Color And Freedom

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  In 1910, Marc Chagall relocated to Paris to develop his artistic style. Art historian James Sweeney noted Cubism dominated when he arrived. French art remained under materialistic outlook of the 19th century. Chagall came from Russia with ripe color gift and fresh response to sentiment. He brought feeling for simple poetry and sense of humor. These notions alienated Paris at that time. First recognition came not from painters but poets like Blaise Cendrars and Guillaume Apollinaire. Jean Leymarie observed Chagall began thinking of art emerging from internal being outward. This reversed Cubist way of creating. He developed friendships with Robert Delaunay and Fernand Léger. Baal-Teshuva wrote dream of Paris city of light had come true. His first days proved hardship for 23-year-old Chagall. He stood lonely in big city unable to speak French. Some days he felt like fleeing back to Russia. He daydreamed about riches of Russian folklore during painting. In Paris he enrolled at Académie de La Palette. Painters Jean Metzinger, André Dunoyer de Segonzac, and Henri Le Fauconnier taught there. He found work at another academy. Free hours spent visiting galleries and salons especially Louvre. Artists admired included Rembrandt, van Gogh, Renoir, Pissarro, Matisse, Gauguin, Courbet, Millet, Manet, Monet, Delacroix. He learned technique of gouache used to paint Russian scenes. Visited Montmartre and Latin Quarter happy just breathing Parisian air. Night after night painted until dawn then slept few hours. Resisted many temptations of big city at night. My homeland exists only in my soul once said. Continued painting Jewish motifs subjects from memories of Vitebsk. Included Parisian scenes Eiffel Tower particularly along portraits. Many works updated versions paintings made in Russia transposed into Fauvist or Cubist keys.

• 3. Revolution And The Exodus

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  In November 1917 Anatoly Lunacharsky offered Chagall charge visual arts department Narkompos Petrograd. Refused offer mostly due disinterest politics. Summer 1918 questioned refusal visited Lunacharsky Petrograd. Shortly afterwards appointed commissar arts for Vitebsk. Resulted founding People's Art College also known Academy. Founded Art Museum Vitebsk. Under leadership college attracted major artists El Lissitzky Kazimir Malevich. Creation museum signified so called Vitebsk Renaissance making town well-known avant-garde centers early 20th century. Hired first teacher Yehuda Pen work school. Tried create atmosphere collective independently minded artists unique style. Soon proved difficult key faculty members preferred Suprematist art squares circles. Disapproved Chagall attempt creating bourgeois individualism. May 1920 Academy taken over suprematists led resignation departure Moscow. When suprematists left academy declined becoming ordinary college applied art. Avant-garde Russia ousted other artistic trends. Moscow offered job stage designer newly formed State Jewish Chamber Theater. Set begin operation early 1921 number plays Sholem Aleichem. Opening created large background murals using techniques learned Bakst. One main mural tall long included images lively subjects dancers fiddlers acrobats farm animals. One critic time called Hebrew jazz paint. Created storehouse symbols devices notes Lewis. Murals constituted landmark history theatre forerunners later large-scale works including murals New York Metropolitan Opera Paris Opera. First World War ended 1918 Russian Civil War continued famine spread. Chagalls found necessary move smaller less expensive town near Moscow. Now had commute Moscow daily using crowded trains. 1921 worked art teacher friend sculptor Isaac Itkind Jewish boys shelter suburban Malakhovka housed young refugees orphaned pogroms. Created series illustrations Yiddish poetry cycle Grief written David Hofstein another teacher Malakhovka shelter. Spent years between 1921 and 1922 living primitive conditions decided go back France develop art more comfortable country. Numerous artists writers musicians planning relocate West. Applied exit visa waiting uncertain approval wrote autobiography My Life.

• 4. Escape And The American Years

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  In April 1941 Chagall wife stripped French citizenship. Chagalls stayed Hotel Moderne Marseille arrested along other Jews. Varian Fry managed pressure French police release threatening scandal. Over 2,000 rescued operation left France May 1941 almost too late adds Lewis. Picasso Matisse invited come US decided remain France. the 10th of June 1941 Bella left Lisbon aboard Portuguese ship Mouzinho. Passengers included 119 refugee children gave drawing lessons voyage. Ship reached Staten Island June 21 day before Germany invaded Soviet Union. Ida Michel followed notorious refugee ship large case Chagall work. Chance post-war meeting French café Ida intelligence analyst Konrad Kellen led Kellen carrying paintings return United States. Even arriving United States 1941 awarded Carnegie Prize third prize 1939 Les Fiancés. Discovered achieved international stature writes Cogniat felt ill-suited new role foreign country language yet speak. Became celebrity mostly against will feeling lost strange surroundings. After while began settle New York full writers painters composers like himself fled Europe Nazi invasions. Lived 4 East 74th Street. Spent time visiting galleries museums befriended artists including Piet Mondrian André Breton. Loved going sections New York Jews lived especially Lower East Side. Felt home enjoying Jewish foods able read Yiddish press main source information since did not yet speak English. Contemporary artists did not understand even like art. Had little common folkloristic storyteller Russo-Jewish extraction propensity mysticism. Paris School referred Parisian Surrealism meant little them. Attitudes begin change Pierre Matisse son recognized French artist Henri Matisse became representative managed exhibitions New York Chicago 1941. Earliest exhibition included 21 masterpieces 1910 to 1941. Art critic Henry McBride wrote exhibit New York Sun.

• 5. Biblical Visions And Holy Land

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  Returning Paris one trips Vollard commissioned Chagall illustrate Old Testament. Could complete project France used assignment excuse travel Mandatory Palestine experience Holy Land firsthand. 1931 Marc Chagall family traveled Tel Aviv invitation Meir Dizengoff. Dizengoff previously encouraged visit connection plan build Jewish Art Museum new city. Family invited stay Dizengoff house Tel Aviv later Independence Hall State Israel. Ended staying Holy Land two months. Felt home Israel many people spoke Yiddish Russian. Jacob Baal-Teshuva impressed pioneering spirit people kibbutzim deeply moved Wailing Wall other holy places. Later told friend Palestine gave most vivid impression ever received. Jackie Wullschlager notes Delacroix Matisse found inspiration exoticism North Africa Jew Palestine different perspective. Searching inner authorization land ancestors plunge work Bible illustrations. Stated East found Bible part own being. Immersed history Jews trials prophecies disasters notes Wullschlager. Beginning assignment extraordinary risk finally became well known leading contemporary painter end modernist themes delve ancient past. Between 1931 and 1934 worked obsessively Bible even Amsterdam carefully study biblical paintings Rembrandt El Greco see extremes religious painting. Walked streets city's Jewish quarter again feel earlier atmosphere. Told Franz Meyer: Saw Old Testament human story creation cosmos but creation man figures angels rhymed combined human ones writes Wullschlager. One early Bible image Abraham Three Angels angels sit chat glass wine dropped dinner. Returned France next year completed 32 total 105 plates. By 1939 beginning World War II finished 66. Vollard died same year. Series completed 1956 published Edition Tériade. Stunning met great acclaim once again shown one 20th century's most important graphic artists.

• 6. Stained Glass And Public Monuments

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  One major contribution art work stained glass medium allowed further express desire create intense fresh colors added benefit natural light refraction interacting constantly changing everything from position viewer stood weather outside alter visual effect case Hadassah windows. Not until 1956 nearly 70 years age designed windows Église Notre-Dame Toute Grâce Plateau Assy first major project. Project behest Father Couturier monk credited reviving religious art France. Then 1958 to 1960 created windows Metz Cathedral collaboration glassmaker Charles Marq interchanges focussed variations natural lighting transform work. 1960 began creating stained glass windows synagogue Hebrew University's Hadassah Medical Center Jerusalem. Twelve windows representing twelve tribes Israel filled stained glass. Envisaged synagogue crown offered Jewish Queen windows jewels translucent fire writes Leymarie. Devoted next two years task completion 1961 windows exhibited Paris Museum Modern Art New York installed permanently Jerusalem February 1962. Each window approximately 11 feet high wide much larger anything done before. Considered greatest work field stained glass though Virginia Haggard McNeil records disappointment lit artificial light so change conditions natural light. French philosopher Gaston Bachelard commented reads Bible suddenly passages become light. 1964 created stained-glass window entitled Peace UN honor Dag Hammarskjöld second secretary general killed airplane crash Northern Rhodesia 1961. Window about wide high contains symbols peace love musical symbols. Own handwritten dedication reads Good Samaritan Union Church Pocantico Hills 1967 dedicated John D. Rockefeller Fraumünster Zurich Switzerland 1967 known five large stained glass windows created Chagall. Each window tall by wide. Surprising Christian symbols featured works artist strict Orthodox Jewish background. Often used Russian icons paintings interpretations Christian symbols. Themes usually derived biblical stories frequently portrayed obedience suffering God chosen people. One panel depicts Moses receiving Torah rays light head. Top another panel depiction Jesus crucifixion. St Stephan's church Mainz Germany 1978 began creating windows. Today 200,000 visitors year visit church tourists whole world pilgrim up St Stephan Mount see glowing blue stained glass windows artist Marc Chagall city website. Only German church Chagall created windows. Colors address vital consciousness directly tell optimism hope delight life says Monsignor Klaus Mayer imparts work meditations books. Corresponded 1973 succeeded persuading master colour biblical message create sign Jewish-Christian attachment international understanding. Centuries earlier Mainz capital European Jewry contained largest Jewish community Europe notes historian John Man. Age 91 created first window eight followed. Collaborator Charles Marq complemented work adding several stained glass windows using typical colors Chagall.

• 7. The Last Modernist Legacy

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  By time died France 1985 last surviving master European modernism outliving Joan Miró two years experienced firsthand high hopes. Art critic Robert Hughes referred quintessential Jewish artist twentieth century. According art historian Michael J. Lewis considered last survivor first generation European modernists. Decades respected world pre-eminent Jewish artist. Used medium stained glass produced windows cathedrals Reims Metz Fraumünster Zürich UN Art Institute Chicago Jerusalem Windows Israel. Also did large-scale paintings including part ceiling Paris Opera. Experienced modernism golden age Paris synthesized art forms Cubism Symbolism Fauvism influence Fauvism gave rise Surrealism. Throughout phases style remained most emphatically Jewish artist work one long dreamy reverie life native Vitebsk. When Matisse dies Pablo Picasso remarked 1950s Chagall only painter left understands what color really is. Colors living integral picture never passively flat banal afterthought sculpt animate volume shapes indulge flights fancy invention add new perspectives graduated blended tones. Even attempt imitate nature rather suggest movements planes rhythms. Convey striking images using only two three colors. Unrivalled ability give vivid impression explosive movement simplest use colors. Throughout life created vibrant atmosphere based own personal vision. Most obviously constant element gift happiness instinctive compassion even serious subjects prevents dramatization. Musicians constant during all stages work. Lovers sought embraced caressed floated air met wreaths flowers stretched swooped melodious passage vivid day-dreams. Acrobats contort grace exotic flowers end stems foliage abound everywhere. Early pictures often town born raised Vitebsk realistic give impression firsthand experience capturing moment time action dramatic image. Later years Bible series subjects more dramatic managed blend real fantastic combined use color pictures always acceptable powerful. Never attempted present pure reality always created atmospheres fantasy. Persistent subject life itself simplicity hidden complexity presents study places people objects own life.