About
Marc Chagall, born Moishe Shagal in 1887 in Liozna near Vitebsk (Russian Empire, now Belarus), is a major 20th-century artist. From a Hasidic Jewish family, he studied in Saint Petersburg and moved to Paris in 1910, where he met Apollinaire, Delaunay and Modigliani. His unique style blends Cubism, Fauvism and Surrealist elements, nourished by Jewish folklore and scenes of Russian life. After the Revolution, he founded an art school in Vitebsk, then returned to France, gaining citizenship in 1937. During World War II, he took refuge in the United States. Back in France, he carried out prestigious commissions: the ceiling of the Paris Opera, stained glass for Jerusalem, the UN and cathedrals.
* 1887-07-14 — † 1985-03-28
Major works
- I and the Village (1911)painting
- Dead Souls (illustrations) (1923-1927)etchings
- The Bible (illustrations) (1931-1956)etchings
- Plafond de l'Opéra Garnier (1964)monumental painting
- Jerusalem Windows (1962)stained glass
Key milestones
- 1910Moves to Paris and joins the avant-garde circles.
- 1937Becomes a French citizen.
- 1973Opening of the Marc Chagall National Museum in Nice.
Themes
Jewish folkloreRussian rural lifeDream and imaginationLove and coupleReligion and spirituality
Sources: moma.org · tate.org.uk · marcchagall.com