Over the Town

Marc Chagall (1887-1985) was a Russian-French artist of Belarusian Jewish origin. An early modernist, he was associated with several major artistic styles. He created works in virtually every artistic format, including painting, book illustrations, stained glass, stage sets, ceramic, tapestries and fine art prints. Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as “the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century,” though Chagall saw his work as “not the dream of one people but of all humanity.” He created stained glass windows for the cathedrals of Reims and Metz, windows for the United Nations, and the Jerusalem Windows in Israel. He also did large-scale paintings, including one for the ceiling of the Paris Opéra.