Chagall for Children, written by Helene Lamarche, presents a very artistic vision of the life of Marc Chagall. Told in a simple style, and illustrated with the artist’s own drawings and paintings, this is a book that will help children come to know this optimistic man and his astounding work.
Chagall was an artist with a feeling for the spiritual. Both Christian and Jewish elements can be found in his art. He even worked on the decoration of a church in France. At the entrance to the baptistry of Notre-Dame-de-Toute-Grace in Haute Savoie, Chagall painted The Crossing of the Red Sea in 1954. He wrote these words to accompany his painting:
“In the name of the freedom of all religions”.
Chagall was also a poet and, again, spirituality emerged in his writing:
“You placed in my hands
colours and brushes
Yet I know not how to paint you.”
(Note: I read the 1988 Montreal Museum of Fine Arts edition of this book.)
