"The Story of Exodus (#456 Then Came Amalek and Fought With...," by Marc Chagall

Chagall’s art was defined by his twelve-year stay in Paris, beginning in 1910, which also shaped the style he would adopt for the rest of his career, with dreamlike scenes, up-turned figures, seemingly random composition, and thinly-spread colours.

The subjects of his paintings became Jewish folklore and Russian fairy tales, often with Chagall himself as the central character. These pieces are recognised as some of Chagall’s greatest works, including Self-Portrait With Seven Fingers (1912), Hommage À Apollinaire (1912), and Paris Through The Window (1913).

Chagall’s first solo exhibition was at the Der Sturm Gallery in Berlin in 1914; but, his work had previously been exhibited at the annual Paris Salon des Indépendants and the Salon d’Automne in the twelve months before. His work struck a chord with the German Expressionist crowd at the time, which sent Chagall on his way to success.

Chagall’s critical acclaim and popularity only increased as his career progressed. In the decades that followed, as he navigated the religious and military conflict in Germany and traversed from paintings to theatre set design, engraving, and stained-glass, he continued to be celebrated by galleries across the world.

1973 saw the opening of the Museum of the Marc Chagall Biblical Message in Nice, and, four years later, in 1977, a retrospective was held at the Louvre. In the same year, Chagall was awarded the Grand Medal of the Legion of Honour in France. Today, Chagall's popularity is higher than ever, and the artist remains considered one of the main exponents of Modern Art.