Monday, May 16, 2011

Marc Chagall - 20th century painter extraordinaire!

I realize that I have done an awful lot of blogging with a macabre twist lately. My apologies, I am finishing up a haunted guide to France and have a bit of a one track mind. Here is a little artistic cleansing of the pallet for you.... 

I can't believe it took me this long to blog about Marc Chagall. One of my favorite Belarusian-French Jewish painters! 


Marc Chagall (née Moishe Shagal) 1887 - 1985

To be honest, I am not quite sure whether I adore his work for its original surrealistic twist or because, when I was doing my stint at the Sorbonne Univeristy in Paris at the tender age of 19, I met and fell madly in love with a stunning Parisian of Argentinean descent who simultaneously introduced me to the Cure and Marc Chagall (we went to the George Pompidou Center for a massive exhibition--wow!). Hot, intellectual, cultured boyfriend vs cool artist??? Like a Pavlovian dog, I now have a conditioned reflex whenever I see a piece of work by Chagall ... great memories rise immediately into my conscious brain!

Oh, and, on an aside: the Pavlovian conditioning process was a major theme in Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World. One of my favorite author's, one of my favorite books. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. 

Oh, and, on another aside: As I am busy querying a super cool, historical, French, nonfiction manuscript I just finished translating--entitled ADP: Secret of the Knights Templar (see my website)--I ran into a very intriguing and fabulous quote by Aldous Huxley's literary agent, the late Dorris Halsey:

"Let's be realistic and do the impossible!"

I love, love, love that. A motto to live by!

Bon, back to Monsieur Chagall. As I have blabbed on and on, you can click here to read all about his life and you can scroll down to see some of his fantastic, magical, inspiring thought-provoking work.

Les Maries de la Tour Eiffel




For some reason, I just adore this one


Daydreaming




La Branche


He did many stained glass windows: for the Reims and Metz cathedrals, United Nations and Jerusalem windows in Israel.


Joli, n'est ce pas?

Gros bisous de l'art extraordinaire et a très bientôt!

Love, Charley


13 comments:

  1. J'adore Chagalle aussi!!

    I also like your story about your Argentinian/Parisian Cure-loving Chagalle-introducing boy!

    Oh - last but not least - I like your blog!

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  2. P.S. http://www.chagall-grenoble.com/ !!!

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  3. @ Emily, Oh thanks! Isn't that fun, life's great experiences! So happy to have you as a reader.

    Great link!

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  4. Can't wait for the haunted guide to France!
    I love Chagall too. Ironically enough, very close to where we live in England is a small village church with mainly blue stained-glass windows all by Chagall, made in the 1960s - I think - to commemorate a young woman who drowned in a sailing accident. The light floods in and it is quite beautiful.

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  5. @ Deborah, After seeing photos of his stained glass windows, I am on a mission to see some in person, they look magically brilliant. Okay, I am a little jealous. :-)

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  6. I have seen his stained glass Windows in the Cathedral of Reims and I found them wonderful. I wanted to thank for your very interesting posts because I learnt many things I didn't about my own country.

    Agnès

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  7. @ Agnès, Such a pleasure to have you as a reader! I am jealous that you have seen the stained glass windows!! :-) Your country is a wonderful, magical place.

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  8. Hello I found your blog while looking at Chagall on the net well done. I love Chagall too I live in Ireland Tipperary actually and I am a third level art student late in life I should have done it first but better late than never, my Chagall influenced paintings might be famous someday!!!
    Mary

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  9. his paintings are amazing and insperational. :-)

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  10. Hello
    I am from Iraq Zia Master student in the Faculty of Fine Arts, and research on Marc Chagall, please help me
    To send some e-books that you could (Facebook victim dhiia .1987 @ yahoo. Com) Thank you very much

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  11. Hello Charlie Ahibpinzillar
    I hope you success.
    Zia Iraqi

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  12. Such a gift to the spirit! Thank you for showing us this beauty. --PM

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading! It's my pleasure to share all the amazing and wondrous sights, sounds, flavors and smells of this magnificent country. :-)

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