Marc Chagall's Jerusalem Windows
NOTE: THIS IS THE FIRST OF FOUR PAPERS THAT MY DAUGHTER WILL WRITE AND PRESENT AS PART OF HER BAT MITZVAH PROGRAM AT THE JCS ANN ARBOR.
Introduction
I chose Marc Chagall because I wanted to learn more about him, and because he is a Jewish artist and I am interested in art too. I thought that choosing him would be an inspiration for me. He is a very interesting person and I really liked learning about him.
Marc Chagall was most famous for the Jerusalem Windows. There are 12 windows in all. All of the windows have a different meaning. But Marc was not only famous for his windows. He was also famous for his magnificent paintings. The paintings he created were expressive of what his feelings were and of his life.
His Art Work
Marc was young when he first started to like art work. His whole family didn’t want him to be an artist. He would draw his family pictures but they wouldn’t care. Marc never gave up on his dream to be an artist. He kept on drawing.
One day marc grabbed his mothers elbow and begged to send him to art school. His mom then sent him to art school. But when his art teacher would say to draw neat copies of statues he wouldn’t want to. He wanted to draw villagers and farm animals.
He panted a lot of pictures.
Marc Chagall’s Life
Marc Chagall was born July 7 1887 in Russia, the town of Vitebsk. He was born with the name Moshe but later was called Marc. Marc has eight brothers and sisters. He had one brother and seven sisters to be exact. He was the oldest of them all. When he was ten Marc wanted to be a dancer or a violinist instead of hauling heavy barrels around the fishmongers like his dad.
When Marc would hang his pictures up on the wall for everyone to see, his family didn’t like them at all. That never stopped him from drawing. His mother one day was making bread and he told her that he wanted to be an artist instead of doing his dads job. So his mother sent him to art school.
After meeting Bella in 1910 Marc went to Paris to get better at art in his artistic art style leaving Bella behind. Paris was a great trip for him. He would spend hours in art galleries. The pictures would give him ideas. He would rush into his studio and he would paint.
In the year of 1914 Marc was offered a one man show. He turned them down because he wanted to go home to see Bella. So he headed back to Russia. Then in 1922 he married Bella.
Eight years after he left Paris he got a letter from an old friend. It said “Are you still alive? Did you know that you are famous here? Your pictures are selling for high prices.”
Marc moved back to Paris. His pictures made people smile. He finally got a job that he always wanted and that he would love. He painted until he was an old man.
When Marc was ninety he received an invitation. The Louvre wanted him to show his paintings. On opening day Marc went to the museum. He had already been there a long time ago because his teachers didn’t under stand what he was doing. He had been painting the feelings in his heart and not what the teachers wanted him to paint.
In 1944 Bella died. Marc’s creativity started to fade away when Bella died. It stayed like that for many months. In the year 1950 he moved to Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Then 2 years after that he got remarried to a lady named Valentine Brodskii. She encouraged him to paint more and to take large artistic projects.
He died in the year 1984 at the age of 97.
Today Marc’s paintings will sell for millions of dollars.
Jerusalem Windows
Marc Chagall designed the stained glass windows for the synagogue that is part of the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center. These twelve windows are referred to as the Jerusalem Windows. They are considered his greatest work.
He started the project in 1959 and finished in 1962. The Medical Center is in the hills outside of Jerusalem. The synagogue part is lit by hanging lantern and by sunlight which streams through the glass windows. The windows are brightly colored with scenes from the Bible.
Each of the windows represents one of the twelve sons of Jacob who each started one of the tribes of Israel. Each window shows something symbolic and has a verse of poetry. The windows are Reuben, Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Gad, Judah, Joseph, Zebulon, Simeon, Naphtali , Levi, and Issachar.
Reuben is the eldest son and is said to be “unstable as water,” which means that he changes his mind easily. He is generous but hot-tempered. He saved Joseph from being killed. His picture is blue and green, with splashes of red, for his hot-temper.
Asher is the second son, his name means happiness. His tribe was famous for wisdom and the beauty of the women. His window is mostly shades of green, but also has red, white, blue and yellow.
Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob, the last son of Rachel. The tribe of Benjamin was a warrior tribe and Saul, the first king of Israel came from this tribe. The Benjamin window is mostly dark blue, with yellow and green parts. In the center is a splash of red.
Dan was the first child of Jacob and Bilhah, who was Rachel’s servant. Dan means judge and Dan will judge or govern his people. The picture is of a snake wrapped around a candle holder. Also in the picture are birds and fish and other beasts. This window is mostly blue with green red and yellow.
Gad is the first son by Zilpah, Leah’s servant. Leah was also Jacob’s wife. The tribe of Gad received the land of the Jordan. They had to fight for the land and their verse says “Gad shall be raided by raiders, but he shall raid at their heels." The picture is dark green and red in the middle.
Judah is the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. Judah is the tribe of the kings like David and Solomon. The picture is mostly red, for blood of battles and white, to show power. The picture has a sheep, which was an animal that was sacrificed and two hands reaching for a crown.
Joseph is the most famous son, who wore the coat of many colors and led his people into Egypt. He is the most favored son of Jacob. His pictures are a very bright yellow, with birds and hands holding a shofar. There are splashes of red, green, blue and purple.
Zebulon is said to be a “haven of ships.” His picture is mostly red, with some blue. It has fish in it and looks like a sunset to me.
Simeon was a violent warrior. His picture is dark, mainly blue, with green and blue and a little red. The picture shows horses and birds.
Naphtali was the full brother to Dan and the second son by Bilhah. His tribe was given the north of Palestine. His picture is mostly yellow, with some red and shows a hind or female deer, being let loose. There are also birds in blue.
Levi is the brother of Simeon. Moses is of the tribe of Levi and later, the priests of Israel will be of this tribe. This picture is mostly yellow, representing the sun and divine light. The picture also has the Star of David at the top and the Ten Commandments of the Torah at the bottom. It also has birds.
Issachar was the child of Jacob and Leah. The tribe of Issachar had a rich land that was hard to defend. They often gave in to other tribes that wanted their wealth. The window is mostly green, to show the rich land. There is also some red, white, blue and purple. There is a donkey in the picture, too.
Conclusion
I enjoyed reading and learning about Marc Chagall. I learned that the reason why Marc Chagall chose to do the Jerusalem Windows the way he did was because the12 windows represent the Jewish ancestors and that the windows are based on the Bible.
I am glad that I picked Marc Chagall. It was a great learning experience. I am also glad that I learned about the Jerusalem Windows.
Bibliography
Dreamer from the village: the story of Marc Chagall / by Michelle Markel ; illustrated by Emily Lisker.
Author Chagall, Marc, 1887- Uniform title Vitraux pour Jerusalem. English Title The Jerusalem windows. Text and notes by Jean Leymarie. [Translated from the French byElaine Desautels] Publication info. New York, G. Braziller [1962]
Author Chagall, Marc, 1887- Title Marc Chagall : what colour is paradise? / [text and picture selection, Elisabeth Lemke and Thomas David ; translated from the German by Rosie Jackson]. Publication info. Munich ; New York : Prestel, 2000.
Other sources:
Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Chagall
http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_bio_28.html