Marc Chagall, Over the Town, 1918

Married to his first love, Bella Rosenfeld, in 1915, Russian-Jewish painter Marc Chagall took off with her in his works, literally. He did many scenes of them flying through a canvas as seen here when they are painted flying over their home town, Vitebsk. After they married they had a daughter, Iba, and it was after her birth that he made this piece. Over the Town gives a glimpse at the color we will later see from Chagall with the red in the background and the color blacks on their clothing. This was also painting during their last year in Russia. Many intellectuals such as Chagall fled to Berlin and later to Russia in the early 1920s. He was the Commissioner of Arts in Vitebsk and also started an art school before leaving for Paris.

Chagall, Liberation, 1952

After settling there, Bella fell ill and died. During this time he made many stage pieces for the arts and ballets and became well known during his time in Paris. A while after, he found a new muse and love when he married Valentina Brodsky. After their marriage he became using brighter more vibrant colors and distinct lines as seen in Liberation. His time away from love brought out some duller bule's and other colors, but clearly his time in love brought about some vibrant works. Liberation shows exactly that. We see their marriage, celebration with music, and a sense of breaking free.

Both pieces display true Chagall character in his figures, color, composition, and creative mind. All of his ideas just plop onto a canvas like they appear in Liberation all while forming some sort of clarity that we can relate to.