Description of the painting by Marc Chagall “Introduction to the Jewish Theater”

Description of the painting by Marc Chagall Introduction to the Jewish Theater

In 1920, Marc Chagall was invited by Efros to the Jewish Chamber Theater to create sets. It was planned that the scenery will be created according to the miniatures of the works of Sholom Aleichem. During the inspection of the premises of the theater, the artist suddenly announced that he was ready to paint the walls in addition. Thus, seven panels appeared on the walls, which were previously painted on canvas. Unfortunately, we failed to save the technique of the lost canopy.

The panel “Introduction to the New Jewish Theater” was huge – it reached three meters in height, and eight meters in length. It shows commedia del arte. In the immediate vicinity of the tablets of the Gospel, the author has placed himself. Among the depicted characters, we can consider a violinist, whose head fell off in a clown hat, as well as two clowns who walk on their hands, one of them is a devout Jew with tefilim. The panel is made in the manner inherent in Chagall – a green cow that falls from a height (we can see it in the left corner of the picture). Translated from Yiddish – the horns meant – someone plays a musical instrument. In addition to centering the canvas were painted 4 more canvas.

Until 1923, all the panels were in their places. In 1937, the panel was hidden behind the theater stage. Once again they were launched only in 1973 for an author who had specially arrived in Moscow. For the first time they were signed by him. After restoration they were put on display in Switzerland in 1991. Now the paintings are touring the world, but their main place of storage is the Tretyakov Gallery.


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Description of the painting by Marc Chagall “Introduction to the Jewish Theater”