Marc Chagall, Stained glass project in the north apse of Metz Cathedral; Moses, David and Jeremiah, 1958, watercolor, gouache and pencil on paper ? ADAGP, Paris 2020 Photo ? RMN- Grand Palais (musée Marc Chagall) / Adrien Didierjean
It was quite by chance that I decided to spend a day in Metz, a small city in eastern France. Since we were very curious about the branch of the Center Pompidou that opened here (about ten years ago) and determined to visit it, we didn't even bother to find out what the exhibition was about.
Therefore, Marc Chagall's stained glass exhibition there brought us a great surprise - as good luck occasionally does.
Artist Marc Chagall/Pictures from the Internet
"The Kiss" 1915
"Rain" 1911
"Concert" 1957
"My Village and Me" 1911
Marc Chagall is best known for his paintings full of storytelling and dreamy imagery. He developed a colorful and poetic style. A visual language reminiscent of fables or strange dreams. The simple images of ordinary people or the childlike shapes in the paintings make Chagall's works often attributed to neo-primitivism, and its dreamy side is often classified as Surrealism (a precursor). Yet Chagall's work has no connection with any painting movement. It's its uniqueness that makes it so compelling, touching and endearing.
Tribe of Naphtali, final model of the stained glass window of the Hadassah Hospital synagogue in Jerusalem, 1959-1960, gouache, watercolor, pastel, ink, gummed paper and pencil on paper, 40.7 × 30 CM? Adagp, Paris 2020 / Photo? Ewald
In 1948, when Chagall returned from exile in the United States, he settled in the south of France. He began to explore diverse media of creative expression: printmaking, mosaics , tapestries, sets, opera costumes. So…and stained glass. The art of stained glass dates back to ancient Rome. During the Middle Ages, stained glass adorned Gothic cathedrals in Europe, serving both educational and decorative functions. Through the carvings of figures in the flower windows, they depict and tell the plots of the Bible to faithful believers, most of whom are illiterate. Chagall was a storyteller, and for the rest of his life he made stained glass the core of his creations, using colors praised and celebrated by light to create various story scenes to decorate churches, synagogues and other churches.
Three stages of Chagall's work: drawing, watercolor sketch, and finished stained glass window.
Cloister of Metz Cathedral: Stained glass windows of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joseph and Noah ? Vitrail de Marc Chagall réalisé en collaboration avec Charles Marq / ADAGP, Paris, 2020 ? Didier Boy de la Tour, commande du Center Pompidou -Metz et du musée national Marc Chagall
In 1961, Chagall's Simon-Marq studio in Reims was working on the stained glass window Tirage contemporain for La Tribu de Dan, Collection Manuel Bidermanas ? Vitrail de Marc Chagall réalisé en collaboration avec Charles Marq / Adagp, Paris 2020 ? IZIS Bidermanas
“For me, stained glass stands transparently between my heart and the heart of the world. Stained glass is inspiring, It requires seriousness and passion. Only when light is felt does it truly exist”? - Marc Chagall
View of Chagall’s exhibition “The Messenger of Light”? Center Pompidou Metz/Photo Didier Boy de la Tour / 2020
The exhibition presents all of Chagall's glass commissions produced around the world (France, Germany, Israel, USA, UK, Switzerland). It also features many pre-production sketches and models, giving us a glimpse into the artist's creative process. Ultimately, a whole that includes painting, sculpture, ceramics and drawing is embodied in his stained glass works and provides another perspective on his entire artistic creation.
The scene of Chagall’s exhibition "The Messenger of Light"? Center Pompidou Metz / Photo Didier Boy de la Tour / 2020
Chagall once said: "The Bible is the most important book in history the greatest source of poetry”, yet he retained only the essence of this religious message: love and peace. These two values ??are at the core of all his works, but they were severely damaged in the 20th century.
Tapestry by Yvette Cauquil-Prince based on Chagall's "Peace", 1991-1994, wool and cotton, 472 × 696 cm, Saarland, Saarland Rural Museum? Tapisserie réalisée damp; #39;après une ?uvre originale de Marc Chagall. Ma?tre d'?uvre Yvette Cauquil-Prince / Adagp, Paris 2020 / Photo ? Illés Sarkantyu
Noah was ordered to build the ark, for 1931 Preparation for a biblical print, gouache on paper, 58 × 42.5 cm Nice, Musée National Marc Chagall ? Adagp, Paris 2020 / Photo ? RMN-Grand Palais (musée Marc Chagall) / Adrien Didierjean
The next day we visited Metz Cathedral. In 1956, Chagall was commissioned to make a series of stained glass windows here to restore this ancient building that had been ravaged by World War II.
Under the sunshine, I raised my eyes and looked at the cloister around the church altar, with the bright rose window against the background. I think yes, even today, art is Can be sacred.
Cloister of Metz Cathedral: stained glass windows of Moses, David, Jeremiah and the Rose Window of the Passion, also known as the Blue Rose? Vitrail de Marc Chagall réalisé en collaboration avec Charles Marq / ADAGP, Paris 2020 ? Didier Boy de la Tour, commande du Center Pompidou-Metz et du Musée National Marc Chagall
In the left cloister of Metz Cathedral, if you look up, you can see Chagall’s restoration of the World War II-era Damaged stained glass windows/pictures from PT express
Church stained glass windows shine brightly in the sunlight/pictures from the Internet
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