MARC CHAGALL 1887 1985 For the Cubists Chagall

MARC CHAGALL 1887 -1985

� "For the Cubists, " Chagall said, "a painting was a surface covered with forms in a certain order. For me a painting is a surface covered with representations of things. . . in which logic and illustration have no importance. "

Autoportrait (1965)

Stained Glass Window Saint-Stephan Cathedral Metz, France 1958 -1960

Ceiling of Palais Garnier, 1964 (Paris Opera House)

I and the Village 1911 Oil on Canvas Museum of Modern Art 6’ 3. 625” x 4’ 11. 625” …could be viewed as a jigsaw puzzle extracted from a child’s imagination …illustrates the give and take between beings and the vibrant natural world surrounding them …is a powerful display of the mutual relationship between humans, animals and plants.

Gouache paint is similar to watercolor but modified to make it opaque. A binding agent, usually gum arabic, is present, just as in watercolor. Gouache differs from watercolor in that the particles are larger, the ratio of pigment to water is much higher, and an additional, inert, white pigment such as chalk may also be present. This makes gouache heavier and more opaque, with greater reflective qualities. Gouache generally dries to a different value than it appears when wet (lighter tones generally dry darker, while darker tones tend to dry lighter), which can make it difficult to match colors over multiple painting sessions. Its quick coverage and total hiding power mean that gouache lends itself to more direct painting techniques than watercolor.

Chambon Sur Lac 1926 Gouache on paper 25 ¾ “ x 20 ¼ “ Had been in Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, TX Sold by Sotheby’s in 2012 • Chagall captured the real look and feel of an old French village beneath a luminous grey late-afternoon sky. . . • Colour modulated over grey and earth tones and the finely tuned harmony of his palette truly evoke the French earth • Rich, almost luminous tones, matt texture and decorative possibilities offered by the medium. • Picasso remarked, 'When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who knows what colour really is'.