Major retrospective of the »painter-poet«

He has been described as the »greatest, original and poetic visionary among the pioneers of modern art«: the Russian-French painter Marc Chagall (1887-1985), born Moische Chazkelewitsch Schagal, is known for his unique, fantastic and poetic style. His works are an expression of a deeply personal style that cannot be categorized into conventional styles, but also not out of a desire not to be categorized, but as a natural result of life experiences. Love and death are central themes, as are circus paintings and biblical motifs. The versatile artist, who also designed various theater backdrops and church windows, was already referred to as a »painter-poet« by other artists in Paris in the early years of his career. From September 28, 2024 to February 9, 2025, the ALBERTINA Museum in Vienna will be presenting around 100 of his works, which depict all of Chagall's creative phases, in the exhibition Marc Chagall.

Chagall's recurring symbols have led to various interpretations and lend his paintings an enigmatic quality. For example, circus scenes are said to represent the harmony of man and animal, a rooster stands for fertility and a floating woman symbolizes Chagall's longing for his wife Bella. The artist never commented directly on the symbolism of his work. Chagall received numerous awards and, together with Antoni Tàpies, was the first winner of the Wolf Prize in the painting category in 1981.