The Village and I

• Can you see the large profile of Chagall’s head?

• Chagall was born in a Russian village called Vitebsk.

• Can you guess what the village was like?

The Fiddler

• A violinist lived with Chagall when he was a boy.

• Do you think he liked music?

• Why do you think that?

The Birthday

Chagall’s fiancee brought him some flowers on his birthday. When she arrived he shouted “Stop!” and took out his paints and started to paint. They were so in love it seemed as though they were floating to the ceiling.

Bouquet of Flowers

• Chagall loved painting flowers – they appear in many of his paintings.

• What colours can you see?

• Why is the bouquet so large?

Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers

• Chagall moved to Paris a capital where many artists lived.

• He was fascinated by the great city: the Eiffel Tower, the crowds of people, the cars,the museums a galleries. So different from his own village.

• He was very short of money and would paint of table clothes, sheets – even his nightshirt.

• All day and all night he painted pictures of Paris, vitebsk, and all his dreams and fantasies.

Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers

The Eiffel Tower

• From wherever you are in Paris you can see the Eiffel Tower…maybe you can even see it from your dreams!

Paris through the WindowWhat dream-like things can you see?

The Dance

• The big round sun shines brightly and bathes everything in a cheerful yellow.

• Whatever is this strange red creature playing the violin? The sound of music draw lines that whirl about in the yellow atmosphere, while the lovers sway to the music.

• A green woman holding a bouquet is attracted by the melody and floats towards the violin player.

• Chagall also painted himself in this picture: he can be seen with a palette in hand, sliding down a sunbeam with a violet coloured cockerel.

The Lovers

• In winter white snowflakes dance through the air, in spring pink, violet and blue blossoms, in summer yellow sunbeams and in autumn red, orange and green leaves.

• The colours mingle, glow and whirl through the picture.

• Everybody seems contented: the lovers are embracing each other and a clown is picking flowers – or is he picking colours?

Blue Circus• Can you describe this

scene in descriptive language?

• Here are some words that might help you.

• Mysterious colourful magical dream big top princess swinging beam of light deep beating time shining admiring presented

Other paintings by Marc Chagall

The Magician The Flying Sleigh

The Flying Sleigh

• The houses were asleep and village lay under a blanket of snow. Suddenly the sleigh went faster and faster over….

• Can you finish this journey?

The Magician

• Who is this strange and colourful figure?

• He is holding something like a palette in his hand; his whole body is made up of patches and patterns of colour. The painter is the magician who takes the world as we see it and colours and transforms it in pictures.