A short story of Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall was one of the most popular modern artists because of his poetic, visual style. His long life and wide range of work also made him one of the most well-known artists in the world. While many of his peers tried big ideas that often led to abstraction, Chagall stood out because he never stopped believing in the power of realistic art, even after he learned about Fauvism and Cubism. Chagall was born in Russia. In 1910, he went to France and became a well-known member of the so-called École de Paris. Later, he lived in the U.S. and the Middle East. These trips confirmed his view of himself as the classic "wandering Jew."

What was Chagall art about?

    During his career, Chagall worked in many radical modernist styles, such as Cubism, Suprematism, and Surrealism. These styles may have led him to work in a totally abstract style. But he turned down each one in turn, sticking to figurative and story art. This made him one of the most famous modern artists to stick to the more traditional style.

    Chagall's Jewish identity was important to him throughout his life, and much of his work can be seen as an attempt to combine old Jewish customs with modernist art styles. But he also sometimes used Christian themes, which fit with his love of stories and allegories.

    In the 1920s, the Surrealists saw Chagall as a kindred spirit. He took from them and used some of their ideas, but he didn't like their more abstract ideas. But almost all of Chagall's work has a dream-like quality. The poet and reviewer Guillaume Apollinaire once said that Chagall's work is "supernatural."