Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall — Poetic Surrealism
Birth: in Liozna (near Vitebsk, present-day Belarus)
Death: in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France

Nationality: Russian, later French

Movement: Modernism, Expressionism, School of Paris
Artistic Journey

Marc Chagall grew up in a Jewish family in Vitebsk, whose world he transposed onto his canvases. Trained in Saint Petersburg, he moved to Paris in 1910, where he mingled with Picasso and Apollinaire. His painting, marked by intense colors, combined Russian traditions, Jewish folklore, and Parisian modernity. After stays in Berlin and later in New York during World War II, he eventually settled in France for good. A versatile artist, he also created stained glass, mosaics, and monumental decorations (notably for the Paris Opera and the UN).
Major Works

I and the Village (1911) – Dreamlike scene blending childhood memories and folkloric symbols.
The Bride (1950) – Poetic and colorful vision of love, a recurring motif in Chagall’s work.
The Green Violinist (1923–1924) – Symbolic figure evoking klezmer music and Jewish culture.
America Windows (1977) – Monumental stained glass for Chicago, homage to freedom and culture.
Ceiling of the Paris Opera (1964) – Colorful fresco celebrating great composers and musical harmony.
Stained Glass Windows of the Hadassah Hospital Synagogue (1962) – Twelve windows representing the tribes of Israel.
The Biblical Message (1966) – Series of paintings and stained glass recounting Old Testament stories.
Style and Influences
Intense and symbolic colors.
Blend of dream, religion, folklore, and poetry.
A universe marked by childhood, music, love, and spirituality.
Recognition and Legacy

Museums: Marc Chagall National Museum (Nice), MoMA (New York), Centre Pompidou (Paris).
Public works: Paris Opera, UN Headquarters (New York), Reims Cathedral, stained glass in Switzerland, Israel, and France.
A universal figure of 20th-century pictorial poetry.