Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall is a Russian artist of a devout Jewish Family. He was born in 1887 in Vitebsk and sadly passed away in 1985.

In 1907 Chagall entered a minor art school in St. Petersburg while at the same time working as a sign painter; throughout his work a foundation of Russian art and the sign painter’s technique was evident. In 1910 he went to Paris where he came in contact with Cubists where his work began to show cubist influence, but subjects generally remain of life in Vitebsk.

In 1914 he returned home. He was drawn back to his Jewish heritage and his marriage resulted in the a series of exuberant paintings of lovers. After the revolution of 1918, Chagall was appointed director of the Vitebsk art school, which became a centre of avant-garde ideas.

From 1919-1922 he worked as a theatrical designer for the Jewish State Theatre, executing murals. In 1922 he went to Berlin executing etchings for Vollard.

1n 1925-1926 he completed a set of illustrations for an edition of La Fontaine’s Fables and held a one-man show in New York.

In 1930, his autobiography, Ma Vie, was published and Chagall began to prepare illustrations for the Bible, travelling to the Middle East. He went to the U.S in 1941, producing the décor for the Ballet Theatre. Chagall returned to France after the war.

Of his later work, his designs for stained glass windows should be mentioned, and his paintings for the ceilings of the Paris Opera.