Marc CHAGALL


Marc CHAGALL, Self-portrait.

Marc CHAGALL (1887 - 1985) was a Russian-French artist whose work generally was based on emotional association rather than traditional pictorial fundamentals. He developed an early interest in art. After studying painting, in 1907 Marc left Russia for Paris, where he lived in an artist colony on the city’s outskirts. Fusing his own personal, dreamlike imagery with hints of the fauvism and cubism popular in France at the time, Chagall created his most famous works — including "I and the Village". The outbreak of WWI trapped Chagall in Russia. He returned to France only in 1923 but later was forced to flee the country and Nazi persecution during WWII. Finding asylum in the U.S., Chagall became involved in set and costume design before returning to France in 1948. In 1977 Chagall received the Grand Medal of the Legion of Honor, France’s highest accolade. That same year, he became one of only a handful of artists in history to receive a retrospective exhibition at the Louvre.

In his later years, he experimented with new art forms working in sculpture and ceramics as well as mastering the art of stained glass windows. Much of his important later work exists in the form of large-scale commissions around the world. He died on March 28, 1985, in Saint-Paul-de-Vence at age 97, leaving behind a vast collection of work along with a rich legacy as an iconic artist and pioneer of modernism.




Marc CHAGALL, Self-portrait.

Marc CHAGALL (1887 - 1985) was a Russian-French artist whose work generally was based on emotional association rather than traditional pictorial fundamentals. He developed an early interest in art. After studying painting, in 1907 Marc left Russia for Paris, where he lived in an artist colony on the city’s outskirts. Fusing his own personal, dreamlike imagery with hints of the fauvism and cubism popular in France at the time, Chagall created his most famous works — including "I and the Village". The outbreak of WWI trapped Chagall in Russia. He returned to France only in 1923 but later was forced to flee the country and Nazi persecution during WWII. Finding asylum in the U.S., Chagall became involved in set and costume design before returning to France in 1948. In 1977 Chagall received the Grand Medal of the Legion of Honor, France’s highest accolade. That same year, he became one of only a handful of artists in history to receive a retrospective exhibition at the Louvre.

In his later years, he experimented with new art forms working in sculpture and ceramics as well as mastering the art of stained glass windows. Much of his important later work exists in the form of large-scale commissions around the world. He died on March 28, 1985, in Saint-Paul-de-Vence at age 97, leaving behind a vast collection of work along with a rich legacy as an iconic artist and pioneer of modernism.


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