WILL BARNET(1911-2012) The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Exhibition Poster

Chagall was not only a painter but also a poet. In 1968 several of Chagall’s poems were published in “Les Poemes” his book of poetry. He also illustrated this book, featuring a series of 24 woodcuts he handcrafted. These were the only woodcuts Chagall ever made. This was an edition of 238 prints. The poem is in French but the English translation is: An old house, blind The night in all crotchet The first I left And I lengthened the hand    I see the stream, the cold waters,  In the evening, toward the strand, I walk A prayer flows as me It sings to the bottom of waters   Approach. White cloud Carry away me in heights I hear in stocking to sound bells And houses rise a smoke   A word my mouth wants to say For parents under snow So much that you will carry me, my breath,  I will be with them   Have me you forgotten, my city I hear your waters in my body Sat down on your benches I hoped Your call.  About the artist: Marc Chagall (1887-1985) was born in Vitebsk, Russia. At a young age, he was apprenticed to the town portrait painter and from there traveled to St. Petersburg to study. By 1910, he had settled in Paris where he became friendly with poets and painters such as Modigliani. During this period, Chagall developed the imaginative dreamlike quality in his work that is now recognized as a forerunner of surrealism. Returning to Russia in 1914, he married Bella whose love is celebrated in so many of his paintings. The breadth and depth of his lifetime work has included design for theatrical production; illustrations for numerous books; murals, paintings and prints with a range of subject matter that includes imaginative dreamlike village scenes from his Yiddish childhood to illustrations of stories from the Bible. Chagall is only one of two artists (the other was Picasso) to have a retrospective show at the Louvre while he was still living.