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Marc Chagall (born Moishe Shagal) was a Belarusian artist known for his poetic, vibrantly colored, dream-like works of art. Raised in a devout Jewish family in Russia, he began his art training in St. Petersburg then moved to Paris in 1910. There, he befriended many Expressionist and Cubist painters, such as Robert Delauney, Fernand Leger, and Chaïm Soutine. Chagall’s work reflects the influence of these artistic movements, mixed with an infusion of his own folkish style. As a result of the two World Wars occurring during his lifetime, he moved frequently between France, Germany, Russia, and the United States; but Chagall ultimately settled in Paris. He was deeply influenced by memories of his life experiences and Jewish culture; thus recurring motifs such as peasant life, circuses, and cities, as well as Jewish villages, rituals, and folktales appear in his works. During his career Chagall experimented with many different mediums such as painting, printmaking, stained glass, illustrations, stage sets, ceramics, and tapestry.Label Type
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Marc Chagall did not start experimenting with printmaking until later in his career, beginning around the 1950s. He went on to produce over a thousand lithographs and over 500 etchings by the end of his life. Lithography allowed him the opportunity to incorporate more vivid colors into his prints. A recurring subject in Chagall’s work was his depiction of clowns and acrobats, drawn from personal memories and experiences as a child. Clown with Flowers from 1963 is composed of bright greens, yellows, and pinks and follows his frequently used subjects.