Marc Chagall, 1964

Marc Chagall (1887-1985) was a Jewish Belorussian-French early Modernist. His whimsical painting style and figurative elements acted as a precursor to Surrealism. Although Russian, hhe spent much of his adult life in Paris. As a Jewish man, during the Second World War, he travelled extensively, even taking refuge in New York City with his family before settling back in France for the rest of his life. His paintings often consisted of images of the people and places that mattered to him. Many include his wife and muse Bella, often with Paris, or his hometown Vitebsk in the background. Late in his career Chagall paininted many stage backdrops for ballets and theatres. He also excelled in printmaking world and in his later career he rejuvenated his legacy by mastering the art of staining glass windows. Hailed as the 'Godfather of Surrealism' and was once the last surviving Modernists, Chagall is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest artists of the early 20th Century.