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!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wayne Thiebaud, Sunset Streets

Image
   In giving title to this landscape, California artist, Wayne Thiebaud not only provides the location, but also the time of day.  Knowing that Thiebaud is a California artist provides the last clue to guessing the probably location.  Smartly, The San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art purchased this painting for its permanent collection in 1986, a year after it was completed.  Sunset Streets is an oil on canvas measuring 48" x 35".      Wayne Thiebaud was born in 1920 and resides in California. He is one of several artists creating a distinct California aesthetic using heavy pigment and exaggerated color.   He is best known for his commonplace objects, figures, and landscapes. of which this is a perfect example.    The composition of this work is amazing.  Right down the center, at a slight tilt is this blue-black stripe, K shape, beginning with a heavy base and capped with a large triangle of sorts.  The painting is...
Read more

Jimmy Baker, "Double Tillman"

Image
   It has been a while since we have looked at a contemporary artist and new work, and this particular image by Jimmy Baker is somewhat different from others of his.   At first glance our painting for this week appears to be a landscape, maybe a setting or rising sun.  Our attention is drawn to the circle just slightly above middle center, and the arches above and swirls of color high light it.  Look at the lower half, the earth.  The light has highlighted rocks or wood chips, but we are unable to distinguish more.   I think this painting allows us to determine for ourselves what to make of it.   Is this a dying earth, or one recovering from tragedy?         Jimmy Baker (1980-) is from Ohio.  He was born here, received his education in Ohio, and is presently and associate professor at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.  His work has achieved critical acclaim with solo exhibitions in Europe and across t...
Read more

Childe Hassam "The Avenue in Rain"

Image
    I probably should have saved this for the 4th of July, but that is a little far off and this work is among Childe Hassam's finest.      I have known of Childe Hassam (1859 - 1935) for a very long time, but only recently did Wikimedia straighten me out about the correct way to pronounce his first name.  It seems the "e" is silent; and his last name is pronounced as written, with two syllables.        From what I have read, Hassam was a pretty sharp guy, and possibly a little  arrogant.  He created 3,000 some works of art in his career and lived his entire adult life on the proceeds of their sale.  This is quite remarkable.  Most artists, (at least before 1930) had to supplement their income by teaching, commissioned portraits or careers outside the art field.  But Hassam figured out not only how to market his work, but also what subjects would be popular.  Timing is always a big issue, and he wa...
Read more