Marc Chagall
(1887 - 1985)
Born: Vitebsk, Russia
Style: Expressionism
Famous Works:
- I and the Village (1911)
- White Crucifixion (1938)
- The Magic Flute (1967)
Marc Chagall's world of fantasy images paved the way for many European Surrealists. Chagall was raised in Russia, and influenced by his love of Russian-Jewish folktales and the Jewish religion. In 1910 he moved to Paris, where he joined the circle of avant-garde artists Fernand Léger, Robert Delaunay, and Amedeo Modigliani. This exposure to Fauvist color led him down a decidedly different path from the Constructivists in Russia. Chagall's work was injected with a lyricism, and combined scenes from his childhood stories. He received his first one-man show in Germany in 1914, but soon after left for Russia, where he remained due to the start of World War I. Kazimir Malevich and Chagall taught together in Vitebsk, but a disagreement between the two artists prompted Chagall to move to Moscow, where he designed for the new Jewish Theatre. Chagall created large scale murals, sets, and costumes. This opportunity inspired Chagall, who enjoyed the large scale and narrative subjects. He painted The Green Violinist in 1923 after resettling in Paris. The subject is an extension of one of his paintings from the Jewish Theatre, a violinist from traditional Jewish music. Chagall continued to have influence in the design world, and in 1966 he painted the murals for the Metropolitan Opera in New York, creating another masterpiece in the tradition of the great storytellers.
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