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Marc Chagall, circa 1920
“When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the last great colorist.”
—Pablo Picasso
Chagall had many loves in his life—Paris, his birthplace, both of his wives, music and flowers, to name just a few. These loves appear across his work in varying forms, acting as the central driving force of his creativity. Embracing couples abound across his canvases, sometimes tethered to earth and other times blissfully flying across the sky, representing spiritual freedom. His lovers are often depicted in fiery reds and oranges paired with opposing deep blues, bringing to life the intensity and passion of this all-encompassing emotion.
The same radiance and vivacity can be seen in works by Chagall’s fellow artists in this section, painting a wider picture of love and intimacy beyond his lovers. Louis Valtat renders the warmth of maternal love in his light-filled composition dominated by a deep burgundy. The portraits in this section by Kees van Dongen, Reuven Rubin and Walasse Ting speak to the representation of the female body alone as an expression of love, all radiating with unique color palettes that evoke adoration, eroticism and beauty.
Marc Chagall, Les Boulevards
M.S. Rau
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Visit the Exhibition in Person at Our New Orleans Gallery!
Opening Party:
October 13 | 5:30pm - 8:00pm
Libations & light bites
Exhibition Open:
October 14 - January 3, 2024
Monday - Saturday
9:00 am - 5:15 pm
FREE ADMISSION
Exhibition Location:
630 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Learn more about the in-gallery exhibition
Introduction
Of all the groundbreaking modern artists of the 20th century, few painted transcendent visions as vividly as Marc Chagall. His exuberant use of color and unique symbolic language set his work apart, conveying universal human themes of love, home, joy and hope. Chagall's art was an extension of his very being, profoundly shaped by his childhood in the Russian Empire and the world-shattering events of the 20th century. From his Jewish roots to his enduring love for both of his wives, Bella and Vava—all irrevocably impacted by war and exile—Chagall wove his personal experiences into a distinctive system of symbols. Roosters, fiddlers and flying lovers cascade across Chagall's kaleidoscopic canvases, all rendered in an electric palette of blues, reds and greens that suggest eternity, passion and renewal.
While in Paris, Chagall found refuge among a group of colorists similarly experimenting with vivid palettes and symbolic forms. Among them were the Fauves, Henri Matisse and Kees van Dongen, known for bold color, as well as Jean Dufy, Jane Peterson and Moïse Kisling, who used daring palettes to elevate everyday scenes. When viewed alongside these artists, Chagall’s colorful work becomes a unifying force, connecting artists, subjects and styles across time.
Throughout this exhibition, colors swirl with layers of meaning, offering new perspectives and worlds to explore. Dreaming in Color is a fantastical celebration of Marc Chagall, the ultimate poet of color, and his lasting impact on modern art.
Marc and Bella Chagall by Hugo Erfurt, 1923
“In our life, there is a single color, as on an artist's palette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love.”
—Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall
Gouache préparatoire pour la lithographie d'interprétation Sirène au poète
“You could wonder for hours what flowers mean, but for me, they're life itself, in all its happy brilliance.”
—Marc Chagall
Flowers have long captivated the greatest artistic minds, from the still lifes of the Dutch Golden Age to Vincent van Gogh's iconic sunflowers. Chagall, both a student of tradition and a revolutionary in his own right, shared this enduring fascination with vibrant bouquets. At the heart of many of his most celebrated compositions are exuberant blooms—symbols of joy, beauty and the cyclical regeneration that marks the rhythm of the natural world.
Chagall’s floral still lifes are anything but still, vibrating with radiant pinks, deep purples and lush greens that go beyond nature to epitomize his joie de vivre. Similarly, Jules Cavailles, Jane Peterson and Jean Dufy infuse their own floral still lifes with such bold, effusive color that pushes them beyond reality and into the splendid realm of dreams. Even the depictions of ordinary landscapes at the hands of artists like Moïse Kisling and H. Claude Pissarro meld into symphonies of color, singing with emotional intensity and opening our eyes to new understandings of the world around us.
Jean Dufy, 1935
Jean Dufy
Nature morte au panier de mimosa
“I made use of cows, milkmaids, roosters and provincial Russian architecture as my source forms because they are part of the environment from which I spring, which undoubtedly left the deepest impression on my visual memory.”
—Marc Chagall
Russian-born but truly a citizen of the world, Chagall lived in many major cities across Europe, including St. Petersburg, Moscow, Berlin, Paris and New York. His itinerant lifestyle—sometimes chosen, often imposed—fueled his constant rumination on home and belonging. This lifelong journey between cultures and borders shaped Chagall's expansive vision, deepening his exploration of identity, memory and place.
His home village of Vitebsk, often depicted with modest wooden buildings, farm animals and a darker palette, reflects longing and loss, as much of the village was essentially destroyed during WWII. In contrast, his paintings of Paris feature brightly colored motifs of landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Opéra, symbolizing hope and rebirth. Musicians, especially fiddlers, are central to Chagall's work, representing his Jewish roots and serving as another version of home. Similarly, artists like Henri Martin and Ferdinand du Puigaudeau evoke home and comfort through picturesque architecture and familiar customs.
Marc Chagall's childhood home in Vitebsk, Belarus.
Marc Chagall
La joie du village
“The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.”
—Marc Chagall
THE COLOR OF
LOVE
THE COLOR OF
NATURE
THE COLOR OF
HOME
Marc Chagall, circa 1920
Marc Chagall
Gouache préparatoire pour la lithographie d'interprétation Sirène au poète
Marc Chagall
Gouache préparatoire pour la lithographie d'interprétation Sirène au poète
Marc and Bella Chagall by Hugo Erfurt, 1923
Jean Dufy, 1935
Jean Dufy
Nature morte au panier de mimosa
Marc Chagall's childhood home in Vitebsk, Belarus.
Marc Chagall
La joie du village
Marc Chagall, circa 1920
Visit the exhibition in person. LEARN MORE
Plan Your In-Gallery Experience
Exhibition On View:
Now - January 4, 2025
Monday - Saturday
9:00 am - 5:15 pm
FREE ADMISSION
Exhibition Location:
622 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
“The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.”
—Marc Chagall
“The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.”
—Marc Chagall
“The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.”
—Marc Chagall