Chagall [antikvár]

Vitebsk. The Blue House, 1920 Oil 26"x 38" Musée des Beaux-Arts, Liege INTRODUCTION N umcrous and important works have already been written about Chagall, and this book is not concerned with repeating what others have said — often very well — about him, nor with a chronological catalogue of the events of his life, but will be confined to such allusions as are neccssary to illustrate his theories. The intention is to consider Chagall's art by studying the different facets of the man and his work, not in the logical sequence of events but in their spiritual and aesthetic components. It is hard to avoid excessive factual precision, and to Chagall himself dates, actions and definitions are unimportant. In explaining or justifying him one is often tempted to postulate opposite ideas — to describe him as bold and timid, frank and cunning, enthusiastic and sceptical. This uncertainty about him is borne out by the facts themselves. Uncertainty begins with his birth-date, officially given as 1887 but questioned by the painter himself, who spoke of an alteration in his official papers made at the instigation of his parents. In his paintings, the facts are even vaguer, as he altered or completed some pictures years after their first appear-