Marc Chagall
Have you ever
wondered where
painters get their
inspiration? For Marc
Chagall it was easy. In
1911 Chagall created a
painting entitled “I and
the Village” basing it off
of the small town in
Belarus located by
Russia and Poland,
where he grew up. He
paints from his
memories and dreams.
Chagall creates
artwork looking forward
in the future and back
on his past.
His painting “I and the Village” is one of many that shows his imagination and
outlook of his childhood. Growing up as a Jewish child, he shows the take over of
Christianity through the cross necklace around the man’s neck. The upside down
houses and rotating shapes around the piece represent how he imagines his
childhood: as a spinning cycle in a small village. Chagall is demonstrating the bringing
together of man and beast. It connects to the future of agriculture and industry, shown
by the man with the scythe and the woman with the violin it shows the struggle for
money.
Bringing together agriculture and industry looks towards the future of living all
around the world in Modernists times. The colors he used show his hope for the bright
future ahead. The green of the mans face shows the need for money and greed in the
industry, but staying humble with nature represented by the tree. The Two circles in
the middle of the painting show the moon and the sun on its rotating and how
everything in our universe connects and joins together.