MARC CHAGALL

Chagall was a highly creative and unique Russian-French artist who dabbled in virtually every artistic medium throughout his career, including paintings, lithographs, stained glass, ceramics, tapestries, mosaics and more. During his life he was associated with several key art movements, and was one of the most successful artists of the 20th century.

Born in 1887 to a poor Jewish family in Russia, Chagall was the eldest of nine children. Chagall’s artistic talent emerged while studying at a secular Russian school, and despite his father’s disapproval, he began studying art with Leon Bakst in St. Petersburg in 1907. His paintings began to revolve around images from childhood, a theme that would serve as his motivation and inspiration for the duration of his career.

In 1910, Chagall, moved to Paris for four years. During this period he created some of his most famous paintings of the Jewish village, and developed the features that became recognizable trademarks of his art. Strong and bright colors began to portray the world in a dreamlike state. Fantasy, nostalgia, and religion began to fuse together to create otherworldly images.