Marc Chagall, "The Fiddler"

 

      I find it pretty hard not to appreciate Marc Chagall (1887-1985), and especially at the present when there is war and hardship in his native area.   He was born in Liozna, a small Jewish community near the city of Vitebsk, which is in Belarus, part of Russia.  It was here that he grew to love his Jewish heritage and met and married his life partner and wife.  Life as a Jew was difficult almost everywhere Chagall lived as he was always considered an outsider, even in his native Russia.   When deciding to become an artist in his youth, he was told to have any kind of success he would either have to deny/hide his background or cherish it and make it public.  He decided to express it and for the rest of his life he committed his Art to bringing Liozna, Vitesbsk and the Jewish culture to the world.   

   And so, today, Marc Chagall is one of those artists whose work is easily identifiable.   Although he understood modern movements in his day, he used them effectively for his own individual purpose.  He is not easily put into any particular category.  So viewing this week's painting we can see the influence of cubism, realism, and the dreamlike influence of surrealism.  As we scan over the painting many identifiable buildings and objects are there, but in an odd perspective.  And his choice of colors creates some fun questions, like:  why is our fiddler's face green?  
    If you read this blog frequently you know I love to present questions, but rarely supply a positive answer instead asking you, the viewer, to come to the work from your own angle and just enjoy.   
    I did read one painting reference that this work was done as an illustration for the play, "Fiddler on the Roof".  If you know this story, know that it is a tale of the true Jewish experience in Russia.
   "The Fiddler" was done between 1912-1913.   It is an oil on a linen table cloth!   It measures 196.5 cm by 166.5 cm, or 77.3 inches by 65.5 inches (so a large work).    It is housed at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands and is on loan to them from Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.  
   Make Art a part of your life, it's a beautiful thing to do.
 

Comments

  1. Charlotte HarguthApril 5, 2022 at 5:22 PM

    I had not seen this one before, but easily recognized it as Chagall. Looking at the green face makes me think it's a cat!! So many details and symbols in an unusual arrangement. The haloed figure at the top and two church steeples suggest his religious ties. Is he standing on a roof, or on top of the world? It is interesting that he has used the primary colors with heavy black and white, to make it such a strong painting. He certainly defined his village. Remarkable to study!!

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