White Crucifixion
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| Artist | Marc Chagall |
|---|---|
| Year | 1938 |
| Location | Art Institute of Chicago |
The White Crucifixion is a painting by Marc Chagall. It was painted in 1938 after Chagall had visited Europe, and can be viewed at the Art Institute of Chicago.
[edit] Summary
The white crucifixion painting emphasizes the suffering of Jesus and the Jewish people. At the sides violent acts against Jews occur such as the burning of a synagogue and invaders. And in the center, Jesus is shown crucified wearing a prayer shawl as a symbol that he is Jewish.[1] The work is startling as the crucifixion, often seen as a symbol of oppression by the Jewish people, is instead being used to represent their suffering.[2]
A green figure carrying a bundle is shown crossing the foreground. This figure, who appears in several of Chagall's works, has been interpreted as being either a Jewish wanderer from Yiddish tradition or the Prophet Elijah.[2]
Two changes were made by Chagall to the work, a swastika on the armband of the soldier burning the synagogue was overpainted as well as the words "Ich bin Jude" on a placard around the neck of a man.[1]
There is also a Lithuanian flag in the upper right hand of the painting. Lithuania at this time was still an independent state. There was no shortage of anti-Semitism in Lithuania also. Also, in the upper left hand portion of the painting there are the red flags of communism. Persecution of the Jews was not just a Nazi phenomena.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Wullschläger, Jackie (2008). Chagall. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-307-27058-0. http://books.google.com/books?id=mXZr438two0C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false. ch. 19.
- ^ a b Harries, Richard (2004). The Passion in Art. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 109–111. ISBN 0-7546-5010-3. http://books.google.com/books?id=BKM_M7iu4KUC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false.
[edit] External links
- Painting details at the Art Institute of Chicago
- Image
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