Marc Chagall

The artist I have chosen for July is Marc Chagall.

He was born July 7, 1887 in Russia (which is now Belarus). He was the oldest of 9 children in a poor Jewish family. He had a happy childhood and studies art against his father’s wishes.



He is one of the most well known Jewish artists of our times. I think when you look at some examples of his art work you will see he liked bright colors. He spent some time in Paris and eventually went back there to live. The only time he left Paris was during WWII. He stayed in the United States until the end of the war. He died on March 28, 1985 at the age of 97 in France.



He lived through many art periods, but I think his use of strong bold colors and his dream like compositions put him strongly in the Surrealism period. He combined fantasy, nostalgia and religion in his paintings. He painted images from his childhood and his faith.



This painting is called "The Green Fiddler." Play the movie below to see how someone took this painting and the music from "Fiddler on the Roof" and combined technology with Chagall's painting.



Also one of my most favorite paintings is called "I and the Village."



This painting is at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. This shows that both the animals and people were important to village life. Look at the seeds flying out from the plant or tree at the bottom. This may depict one of Chagall's childhood memories.

Chagall did all kinds of paintings, drawings, stained glass windows, etc. But the paintings above are some of my favorites. Could you paint a memory from your childhood as if it were a dream? Would you use bright colors? Why don't you create one now?