marc chagall, white crucifixion Flashcards
when was it painted
1938
what series of compositions is it a part of
a series of compositions that depict jesus as a jewish martyr (calls attention to suffering of jews in 1930s)
how does chagall stress jesus’s religious identity
jewish garments- him and the figures above him are presented in traditional jewish garments (shows jesus’s jewish background)
devestation of pogroms (surrounding images- depict violent attacks against jewish community (often organised by local governments)
combining crucifixion with contemporary events/elements- connect matyred jesus with suffering jewish people across europe being persecuted for their identity (compares nazis with jesu’s tormentor)
how are the nazi’s compared to jesus’s tormentors
combination of contemporary elements of nazi pogroms with crucifixion
colour
-colouristic and vibrant palette
influences, and how were the influences different to white crucifixion
14th century italian art (they werent as colourful and were more conservative: e.g elevation of the cross)
themetic ties to renaissance religious painting like Michelangelo
medium/material
oil on canvas
how is light depicted
directional light draws focal point to Jesus (mirrors rembrants directional lighting)
light surrounding menorah draws eye, illuminates jewish theme to events
what did mark chagall have a fascination with throughout his career
depicting the crucifixion (e.g depicted jesus on the cross as an infant
didnt touch theme of crucifixion for 20 years then figure of christ reappeared in 1930’s as nazis emerged
when did chagall go to berlin and what happened there
1930 he went to berlin (witnessed increased amount of anti-semitism)
chagall returned to south of france shocked by catastophe for jewish people
inspired white crucifixion
what images were chagall best known for
images of the russian town he grew up in: Vitebsk
techniques
-dry brush strokes/brushes
-symbolised overwhelming feeling of creative impotence in the rise of jewish tradedgy in europe
how is the jewish identity of jesus depicted
-jesus’s traditional loincloth is replaced with a prayer shawl
-his crown of thorns is replaces by a head cloth (exhibits him as a jewish martyr)
-mourning angels above him and biblical figures and the matriarch wear traditional jewish garments to draw attention to jesus’s jewish background and identity
-menorah
-pogroms that surround
how is the departure from christian tradition key
follows tradition of jewish artists depicting Jesus to indict christian persecutors AND at the same time tries to get their sympathy
how does this depict the identity of chagall
uses this to depict both his religious identity and newfound artistic identity
-image of lions: lions placed over the synagogue doors could refer to JUDAN but also (following christian iconography) be read as references to the evangelist mark (serves as a coded reference to artists own forename)
