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Lot Essay
World events during the Thirties no doubt contributed to the enlargement and dramatization of Chagall's art. The threat of fascism was spreading throughout Europe and eventually also overwhelmed France. In 1941, Chagall and his family fled to America - the present work was painted in the first year of his stay there.
The image of the crucifixion had already become prominent in his work from the Thirties; by means of symbols deeply embedded in the art of the Christian West, Chagall reflected the tragic events in Europe. The White Crucifixion (Meyer 687), now in the Art Institute of Chicago, was the first of these large compositions, painted in 1938. As with the current gouache, the figure of Christ on the cross dominates the scene, surrounded by a world in complete turmoil; his loincloth with the two black stripes resembles the traditional Jewish prayer shawl, thus reminding us that Jesus was himself a Jew. The additional images of the shattered village, fleeing crowds and the burning synagogue were emblematic of Jewish martyrdom and suffering, reminiscent of the pogroms as well as contemporary events. These were incorporated into the traditional crucifixion scene, thus creating a composition with both political and religious significance. Meyer's words concerning The White Crucifixion spoke for all Chagall's crucifixion scenes, "It is full of contemporary history, so full of it indeed that in a mere reproduction every detail thrusts itself too much upon the beholder's attention ... In this work Chagall has given the suffering and distress of the present day the same primordial reality he gave the Bible story". (F. Meyer, Chagall: His Life and Work, London, 1964, p. 416.)
Chagall closely identified with the suffering of the Jews and painted a number of self-portraits at this time, among them Le peintre crucifié (Meyer 689), in which he depicts himself as the martyr. In Persécution we see more images of suffering: fugitives flee from a pillaged, blazing village in a dust cart; a Jew escapes with a sack on his shoulder; the bodies of a woman and child lie abandoned in the distance and a young woman clutching an infant to her breast stands in the foreground. The young mother is an image of pathos but also one of hope. The cockerel standing at the foot of the cross was an image often used by Chagall to represent the disruption of elemental forces, linked to the Bible story of the crucifixion it could be also seen as a symbol of betrayal. By uniting such images Chagall creates a work of immense impact and significance.
The image of the crucifixion had already become prominent in his work from the Thirties; by means of symbols deeply embedded in the art of the Christian West, Chagall reflected the tragic events in Europe. The White Crucifixion (Meyer 687), now in the Art Institute of Chicago, was the first of these large compositions, painted in 1938. As with the current gouache, the figure of Christ on the cross dominates the scene, surrounded by a world in complete turmoil; his loincloth with the two black stripes resembles the traditional Jewish prayer shawl, thus reminding us that Jesus was himself a Jew. The additional images of the shattered village, fleeing crowds and the burning synagogue were emblematic of Jewish martyrdom and suffering, reminiscent of the pogroms as well as contemporary events. These were incorporated into the traditional crucifixion scene, thus creating a composition with both political and religious significance. Meyer's words concerning The White Crucifixion spoke for all Chagall's crucifixion scenes, "It is full of contemporary history, so full of it indeed that in a mere reproduction every detail thrusts itself too much upon the beholder's attention ... In this work Chagall has given the suffering and distress of the present day the same primordial reality he gave the Bible story". (F. Meyer, Chagall: His Life and Work, London, 1964, p. 416.)
Chagall closely identified with the suffering of the Jews and painted a number of self-portraits at this time, among them Le peintre crucifié (Meyer 689), in which he depicts himself as the martyr. In Persécution we see more images of suffering: fugitives flee from a pillaged, blazing village in a dust cart; a Jew escapes with a sack on his shoulder; the bodies of a woman and child lie abandoned in the distance and a young woman clutching an infant to her breast stands in the foreground. The young mother is an image of pathos but also one of hope. The cockerel standing at the foot of the cross was an image often used by Chagall to represent the disruption of elemental forces, linked to the Bible story of the crucifixion it could be also seen as a symbol of betrayal. By uniting such images Chagall creates a work of immense impact and significance.