Marc Chagall Russian Painter (1887-1985)

What do you see that looks real? What do you see that looks strange or could not happen in real life? Have you ever had a dream that seemed a little like real life but was mixed up? What do you remember from when you were younger? Many of Chagall’s paintings combine people, animals, and buildings in a way that is impossible in real life. He never explained why he painted as he did. He left it up to the viewer to decide what his paintings mean. Those who have studied his art suggest that a green face may indicate a person in a trance, or one who is daydreaming or meditating. Perhaps that green-faced person is remembering the people, places, animals, and feelings that are depicted “I and the Village” 1911

Chagall showed his dreams, feelings, and memories in his paintings. The Fiddler is from Chagall’s first Paris period when he was exploring aspects of Cubism. He “introduced conflicting proportions, turned figures upside down and chopped them up, divided space into segments and disrupted spatial unities...(He turned Cubist) geometric structures into bearers of stories, of fancies, of inspirations and sometimes even of actually experienced incidents…(using) these stylistic tools with…a pictorial invention which could link up with older Russian traditions” (Koether, 1993). The fiddler led a traditional Jewish wedding procession in Russia. In the full painting, a semi-nude bride and groom follow the fiddler and boy on the path. Chagall returned to Russia in 1914, and stayed until 1922. The Rooster (or The Cock) was painted in Paris when the Surrealists were exploring dreams and the subconscious in their art. Chagall may have been influenced by their work, but departed from that style by making references to his Russian peasant and Jewish history. He added a mellow mood by showing affection between the rider and the rooster, and including a small couple in a rowboat and tiny figures on the rider’s foot. It is as if the rider and rooster have merged into a single figure. He used “complementary color contrasts—red-green and blue-orange/yellow in a clear, expressive way, to emphasize the sensuality and luminosity of the paintings to enhance the pictorial idea” (Koether, 1993). Field of Mars is from a later period during which Chagall retreated from the art of his day and withdrew into his private life. He married his second wife, Vava, who became the object of his undivided love and devotion. This relationship brought him peace and harmony in domestic tranquility, which are reflected in his paintings. “Field of Mars” 1954/55 “The Fiddler” detail 1911-14 “The Rooster” 1929

“The Fiddler”

The Flying Carriage

The Birthday

The Soldier Drinks

Self Portrait with Seven Fingers

Adam and Eve

Your Assignment: 1.) Research Marc Chagall select one of his paintings not shown here and write about it, include image with your analysis of the painting. 2.) Create your own image using color in any medium. Base it on a story or dream. Keep it abstract, you can bisect it with implied lines OR use leading lines to guide the viewer through the image. Remember YOU ARE TELLING A STORY 3.) Don’t forget composition because it is really important in this work.