"Marc Chagall: Russian-born French painter. Born to a humble Jewish family in the ghetto of a large town in White Russia, Chagall passed a childhood steeped in Hasidic culture. Very early in life he was encouraged by his mother to follow his vocation and she managed to get him into a St Petersburg art school. Returning to Vitebsk, he became engaged to Bella Rosenfeld (whom he married twelve years later), then, in 1910, set off for Paris, 'the Mecca of art'. He was a tenant at La Ruche, where he had Modigliani and Soutine for neighbours. His Slav Expressionism was tinged with the influence of Daumier,

The publishers wish to thank the museums, private collections, archives and photographers who granted permission to reproduce works and gave support in the making of this book.Unless stated otherwise, the copyright for the illustrated works is owned by the collections and institutions listed in the picture captions or the archive of the author.Agence Novesti。

Introduction

"A poet with the wings of a painter."

Vitebsk 1887-19o6

"This mysterious word ’artist’"

St. Petersburg i9o6-i9io

"All my works of this first period are now lost."

Paris i9io-i9i4

"Paris, you are my second Vitebsk."

Russia 1914-1922

"The most productive years of my whole career"

France i923-i94i

"France is my real home."

The United States I941-1948

"I love America, I found there a feeling of youth."

Back in France i948-i985

"I have always done without theory or method."

Graphic art, tapestries, mosaics

"Loving art is life itself."

Stained glass, sculptures, ceramics

"If I create from the heart, nearly everything works."

Epilogue

"My paintings are my memories."

Marc Chagall - Life and work