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GROWING UP IN Russia in the late 1800s, Marc Chagall doesn’t know what art is. He doesn’t even know what drawing is until one of his schoolmates shows him how to trace a picture in a magazine. Marc tries it himself, then decides to pull pictures out of his own mind—his Uncle Noah on the roof, flying cows, and happy men with fiddles. Suddenly Marc knows what he wants to do with his life. He wants to be an artist! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very nice Marc Chagall biography
This well written biography is perfect for 6-10 year olds and even a pleasant quick read for an adult!
Interesting and has nice little pen and ink illustrations.

A vivid fictionalization.
Eric A. Kimmel's A PICTURE FOR MARC tells of a boy who grows up in a small Russian town in the late 1800s, and who doesn't know what art or drawing is. When he discovers his hidden talent, he decides to make pictures nobody has ever seen before - with unexpected results. The story of artist Marc Chagall's discovery of his talent translates well to a vivid fictionalization. ... Read more

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works, 24 in full color, depicting Old Testament subjects: the creation, Adam and Eve banished from the Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, Hagar in the desert, the meeting of Ruth and Boaz, Job at prayer, more. Captions cite the biblical sources of each drawing. Reprinted from a rare double issue of the French arts magazine Verve. Publisher’s Note.
... Read more

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I painted my world, my life, all the things I loved, all the things I dreamed of, all the things I could not say in words. I painted my beloved Russia, my hometown Vitebsk, the Jewish neighborhood where I grew up, the way I saw everything as a child.

During prayers he would daydream; in school he was distracted; and at home he worried about what profession he should choose. But when the young Marc Chagall realized he had artistic talent, he translated his unusual way of looking at the world into color and shape.

Chagall grew up, became a painter, and traveled the world, but he never forgot about his hometown of Vitebsk, Belarus, the place that shaped his character and inspired his art.

This book, loosely based on Chagall’s autobiography, gives readers a glimpse into the early life of one of the twentieth century’s most significant painters. Landmann’s charming three-dimensional mixed-media illustrations celebrate the colorful, the whimsical, and the extraordinary aspects of Chagall’s life and work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A find!
In the biography department, this probably won't do the trick unless your child has a *very lenient* teacher.

But in the imagination department, this book will blow you away.

Bimba Landmann illustrated this book with found-object collages that DO NOT duplicate Chagall's work, but still manage to evoke that Chagall quality.That other-worldliness.That life-is-beautiful-and-surprising character of Chagall's art.Her illustrations are exactly right for this book.

The text is good -- especially if you are looking to relate this book to a child who seems to try a lot of things without finding something that "clicks" for them.The book does a great job of describing how Chagall was surprised by his success and popularity.And it also discusses war and the dread and sorrow of it.

Lovely.

A 2007 Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner for Younger Readers
This picture book biography is loosely based on Marc Chagall's autobiography My Life.Beginning with his childhood in a small Russian farming town, Landmann details his early life, his family's observances of the Jewish holidays, his schooling, and the development of his artistic talent, despite being discouraged and unappreciated by his family and teachers.Chagall's experience in art school, his moves to Paris, Germany, and America, his marriage, and his involvement in the Russian Revolution are also included.The detailed, intricate three-dimensional mixed media illustrations are a collage of fabrics, metals, woods, papers, clay, photographs, and objects from nature.They do an incredible job of capturing the places and characters of Chagall's life and will delight readers through multiple readings and viewings.A timeline of Chagall's life is also included making this a wonderfully accessible, highly entertaining, and exceptional introduction to one of the greatest painters in the world.

I AM MARC CHAGALL
Inspired by Chagall's biography, My Life, Landmann has merged the artist's life and the development of his artistic style into this visually dramatic children's book.

The dialogue captures the dream-like quality of the artist's work, and the illustrations recreate and reflect Chagall's art through coloration and medium. Her use of texture demonstrates the feel of Chagall's abstract and surrealistic view of the world.

The text tackles several difficult topics, ranging from self-development, self-identity, the creative process and the ability to verbalize personal desires within a family structure. In a compressed timeframe, Chagall's life is integrated into the historical events of the century. Landmann uses the historical references to establish Chagall's concept that the real world is within each of us.

Judaic elements run through the story. Chagall the boy goes to Hebrew school and studies Torah while searching for his identity. The events of revolution, war, hardship and escape, and their impact on Jews, are woven into the text.

A timeline provides an accurate history of the artist's life and a correlation to his paintings.Recommended for age 8 and up.Reviewed by: Christine Maasdam

I am, I said, to no one there.
Picture book biographies encompass a wide range of styles, talents, and age-groups. What a child gets out of any given biography depends entirely on why they even want a bio in the first place.I'll say right here and now that if you want a picture book biography that is just straight facts about the artist in question, without a drop of whimsy or artistic expression, go nab a copy of Mike Venezia's, "Marc Chagall".He does good report-ready work.If, on the other hand, you'd like something a little more fun and carefree, consider Bimba Landmann's, "I Am Marc Chagall".Artistically faithful to the painter in question, wonderful with its words, and an overall spellbinding introduction to a great man, this is a must-have title.You've never seen anything remotely like it before, and I doubt you'll find anything to compare to it again.

He was born in Vitebsk, a small Russian farming town within a Jewish community.A creative inquisitive kid, Marc Chagall professed a love of art very early in his life.When an art teacher proclaimed that he did have talent, Chagall was delighted.He attended art schools, painted like no one else, and always had his lovely Bella at his side.Then it was off to Paris to make a name for himself, and from then on Chagall's life was a blur.He came back to Russia to teach painting to the children and chafed under political scrutiny.Just in time he and his family sailed for America just as the Second World War broke out in Europe.Says the book, "During the journey I wondered if the silent stars above could already see my future: my life in America; my return to France after the war; the museum of my paintings in Nice; my stained glass in Jerusalem, Chicago, New York; my mosaics... Yes, perhaps the stars could already see my entire life traced out on the earth like a picture by Marc Chagall".

Until now, Italian author/illustrator Bimba Landmann has been content to limit her art primarily to picture book biographies painted in two-dimensions, as in "The Genius of Leonardo" and "A Boy Named Giotto".Now she's burst out of her painterly shell and embraced fully the wacked-out world of multimedia.If the wonderful use of tiny details doesn't get you, the sheer gutsyness of the colors will.Landmann presents Chagall (shown briefly at the beginning in a 1910 photograph) as a purple-haired suit-clad pioneer.From the Hebrew letters hung on a line like items in a wash to the tiny pillowcases, amber suns, and real lit candles, Landmann evokes shetl life with a hearty love.Then it's off to Paris where the sun and sky are a vibrant red-orange and tiny cardboard boxes become art exhibitions.What impressed me the most about Landmann's art was that she wasn't afraid to reproduce Chagall's artworks into teeny tiny paintings.So many biographies for children (especially the picture books) will talk and talk and talk about an artist and never show you a single painting they actually did.But in this book you might see, "I and the Village" held by a tiny Chagall on the streets of Paris then see "The Green Fiddler" on a cart sometime later.Even the settings and the images in Chagall's day-to-day life remain faithful to the artwork found in his paintings.I don't think any artist would dare invoke Chagall at such length, even if they were doing a biography of his life.So this brazen tribute is stunning precisely because it praises him so highly and replicates him so accurately.A second reading and you just sit staring at the pictures, lost for words.

Now Landmann chose to write this book in the first-person, which makes the book rather troublesome.On the title page we see that the text was, "loosely inspired by `My Life' by Marc Chagall".That's fine and all, but that means that even if Landmann is quoting him directly throughout the entire book, she doesn't cite those quotations at the back.So if, "I Am Marc Chagall" says he thought this or wondered that, we have no proof.Is this book a biography or a fictional biography, then?In spite of the lackadaisical citing, I vote "biography".After all, Landmann has cited her ultimate source (though the "loosely based" mention makes me feel kind of woozy).And there's a lovely timeline at the back that does wonders to allay a reviewer's fears.I especially liked the multiple Chagalls that appear at the bottom of the page.They grow up and grow old as the timeline progresses, ending with a white (rather than purple) haired Chagall smiling cheekily at the finish.

In many ways this book reminded me of two other wacky three-dimensional alternative material-illustrated picture books published in 2006. There was Lauren Child's, "The Princess and the Pea" (done in a shadowbox format, much like those found in "Chagall"), and "City Beats" by S. Kelly Rammell.Bimba Landmann hasn't quite reached household name status yet here in the United States, but books like "I Am Marc Chagall" may certainly start to pave her way.One of the finest publications of 2006 and a truly wonderful book to boot.It makes even the sequins in the sky look like beautiful stars above. ... Read more

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Beige cloth, blue illustrated jacket, in a slipcase. 68 reproductions in full color, with an original color lithograph created especially for this edition. Folio - over 12" - 15" tall. ... Read more

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Marc Chagall is one of the 20th century's favorite artists, known and admired for his rich palette, his inventive approach, his accessible subjects, and the deep traditions behind his work. Combining fantasy, spirituality, and nostalgia with a distinctive modern painting style, Chagall's canvases are infused with a joyous, dreamlike simplicity. Even as styles shifted from Cubism to Suprematism to Surrealism, his work remained individual and idiosyncratic-sometimes harming his art world reputation, but never his popular appeal.

Marc Chagall is the first full-scale survey of the artist's work in almost 20 years. The lush color reproductions include some 60 paintings and 80 works on paper. An introductory essay by Jean-Michel Foray contextualizes the Russian-born artist's work, while a heavily illustrated chronology of Chagall's life-put together by his granddaughter and Jakov Bruk-details the many stages of his career. The work is organized into four sections, each with an introduction by Foray, to help make sense of his prodigious oeuvre. The beautifully designed volume accompanies a major retrospective at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Nice
I was looking for a book that would contain a large portion of Chagall's work.This book only has a limited portion of Chagall's work.well written and the quality of the prints is amazing.

Beautiful introduction
It's hardly a catalogue raisonné, but there's plenty to enjoy here. After about 20 pages of introductory essays, we get another 35 or so that sketch Chagall's life, from his early career until his death in 1985. The next 160 pages, roughly, reprint paintings from many parts of his career. Each page is self-contained, either a good-sized, gorgeous reproduction or a short essay on the painting across the fold.

Printing is impeccable. Colors are saturated and dense, on paper that's coated but glare-free, bright, and opaque. It's all you could look for in an art book.

One might ask more in a book of Chagall's art, though. This focuses on his paintings, omitting his wonderful lithos, including the series for Daphnis And Chloe. And, among the paintings presented, chronological order is sketchy at best. It's not always an improvement when an editor imposes some new order on an artist's work, after the artist's own life has already done so. Well, maybe that's why I found this recent book on the discount table. The artwork has so captivated me that I have not yet paid much attention to the text. The little I've seen looks helpful and interesting, though. I expect that Chagall scholars have better resources, but as a casual viewer interested in this artist's varied body of work, I enjoy this hefty collection of gorgeous reproductions.

-- wiredweird ... Read more

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The poem may i feel said he is a sensually ecstatic tribute to love and a humorous salute to the mating rituals between men and women. Originally published in Cumming's 1935 No Thanks collection, may i feel said he is one of the poet's most original and best loved works.
Marc Chagall's floating lovers and violin-playing horses are the perfect complement to Cumming's whimiscal poem. Chagall's lyrical work always reflected the artist's fascination with the many facets of love. "Is it not true that painting and color are inspired by love?" he wrote in 1973, at the age of 85. The twenty-three diverse paintings in this collection include many works that have rarely been seen in public.
may i feel said he is a stunning marriage of art and poetry and a giddy celebration of love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A delightful taste of both artists
Sometimes when you combine two spices, the result isn't too wonderful.But that's not the case here.Putting these two artists together was a wonderful inspiration.This is a keeper!

WOW!
This is one of the most beautiful combinations of poetry and art. The poem is really quite beautiful. The art is inspirational. I don't knwo that I'd give it to a couple for their wedding though, cause the poem is about a man who is cheating on his wife....So don't take the advice of the other reviewer, the couple might look at you funny!

I'm Impressed
Just got this book and I love it. I purchased it based on reviews that I read and they are 100% correct.Beautiful pictures and a touching poem.Great as a wedding gift.

a beautiful marriage of words and Chagall
If you are a Chagall or e.e. cummings lover, this book is not to be missed.It is an absolute treasure and such a beautiful marriage of words and art!The images perfectly complement the text. Highly recommended, even as an introduction to either of these two artists.

a charming how-to for the romantic at heart
A terrific combination of art appreciation classes and literature for reading outdoors--took me back some 35 years to college days in its content, and then back up to the present in its pervasive wisdom. A joy forthe ear and eye, just like its message--lovemaking is for lots of ages andstages and a delight to the senses. Should be on every bookstore's fronttables. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

excellent overview of Russian Jewish Theatre
The Moscow State Yiddish Theatre (GOSET) was established in Petrograd in 1919, moving to Moscow the following year. Subsidised by the state, it performed plays in Yiddish, as opposed to the alternative company Habimah who used the Hebrew language. GOSET disintegrated after the murder (ordered by Stalin) in 1948 of the great actor Solomon Mikhoels.

Quoting from the catalogue: "To a large degree the Jewish theatre was influenced by the mass pageants, street performances, Russian circus, cabaret and music -hall burlesque of the early 20th century. Jewish artists absorbed the language of revolutionary art movements in Europe and Russia, notably Cubism, Futurism and Constructivism."

The first section of this catalogue contains informative articles related to GOSET and Habimah. The balance of the book contains illustrations featured in the exhibition; costume designs, posters, costumes plus historic photographs of stage sets, actors and artists.

One of the main centrepieces of the exhibition were the six theatre murals by Chagall. These are attractive works in the typical Chagall style. Using this artist's name in the title of the catalogue is an obvious marketing ploy and somewhat deceptive. Chagall's participation in the exhibition content is relatively minor; in fact Nathan Altman's works are at least equally prominent but his name lacks Chagall's cachet.

Nevertheless, this book gives a fascinating overview of Russian Jewish Theatre
in words and archival illustrations. The book is well printed with excellent quality reproductions.

Much more than just another book on Chagall
Far from being just another book on Chagall, this catalogue for a recent exhibition held at the Jewish Museum in NYC is a treasure trove of information, photographs and artworks documenting the intense relationship that the Russian-born Chagall (but not only him) maintained with Habima and Goset (the Moscow State Yiddish Theater), two theater companies that spearheaded a modernist revolution on the Russian and Jewish stages during the years following the 1917 Revolution, Habima being more Zionist-oriented (and eventually emigrating to Palestine) and Goset emphasizing the Expressionnistic side of its theater.

The book tells the story of those two companies, draws a vivid portrait of the main actors (Salomon Mikhoels murdered by Stalin's henchmen in 1948), authors (Dobrushin, Babel, Asch...), artists (Chagall, of course, but also Natan Altman, Robert Falk, Ignaty Nivinsky or Isaac Rabinovich)and musicians (Lev Pulver, Moshe Milner...)who collaborated in all sorts of ways in this unique cultural experience.

The title is slightly misleading as Chagall left Goset in 1922 and the company went on until 1949 with many other artists taking a central role in designing costumes and sets, many of which are beautifully illustrated in never-before-seen images in the book.

This book is also a marvelous document on the Jewish cultural life in Russia during the first half of the XXth century, its relationship to Zionism and Communism and the diversity of the many artists taking part in it.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

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Presents a biography of Marc Chagall ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A good book
I bought all of the books in this series for our homeschool art curriculum.They are easy to read and a fun supplement that can lead to a nice trip to the Smithsonian Gallery of Art.

Mike Venezia - a great way to introduce your kids to art
We own several books in the Mike Venezia series - artists and musicians. I find that Venezia introduces children to the wonderful world of art using a combination of straight forward text, original pictures and funny cartoons. This is also a great complement to a child's arts and crafts program or drawing class. ... Read more

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THIS EDITION IS INTENDED FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. A thorough and riveting biography of the Jewish painter. Beginning with Chagall's birth, the reader is taken on a 48-page journey through the trials and tribulations of early twentieth-centur ... Read more

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Inspired by a journey through Greece, Marc Chagall, one of the twentieth-century’s most popular painters, created a wonderful series of lithographs that brought to life this ancient Greek love story.

The story of Daphnis and Chloe, a pastoral romance attributed to the Greek poet Longus, follows the adventures of two foundling children raised by adopted parents who are humble shepherds in the idyllic setting of the Isle of Lesbos. As Daphnis and Chloe grow to be young adults tending their adopted parents’ sheep and goats on the sun-drenched Grecian hillsides and pastures, they discover that their friendship is turning to love but in their innocence they do not know how to proceed. Together they experience many trials and tribulations before finally realizing their true fate. Daphnis and Chloe has served through the ages as an inspiration for nearly every love story that has followed including Romeo and Juliet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A beautiful pagan literary masterpiece
If you are interested in Theocritus, Virgil's Eclogues or anything pastoral, this is the edition of Longus' "Daphnis and Chloe" to get USED or NEW in paperback for the ridiculously low prices on Amazon or elsewhere.The paperback has a reinforced cover that is almost as strong as a hard cover.The text is the Paul Turner translation, also available from Penguin.Chagall's original color lithographs are beautifully reproduced on acid free paper in a high quality printing.There must be a few warehouses out there filled with a load of these wonderful Prestel editions.A beautiful book at a steal of a price!

Excellent condition, great price
The book is in fantastic condition for an excellent price, delivered in a timely fashion, thank you.

Erotic, tender, and romantic ancient tale with incredible illustrations by Marc Chagall
"Daphnis and Chloe" is one of the best known early Greek romances, precursors to the modern novel. Admired by Goethe, it has been reinterpreted in music and art by Ravel and Chagall.
Written by Longus in the second century A.D, it is a classical romance involving the adventures of two foundling children raised by adopted parents who are humble shepherds in the idyllic setting of the Isle of Lesbos. It is a famous love story that captures the awakening of a first love between two teenagers who don't know what is happening to them. The novel that is written almost two thousands years ago is surprisingly modern; it is erotic, tender, romantic, sensual, and simply beautiful. When I read it first time many years ago (I was very much into the ancient art, literature, history, and philosophy), I asked myself why the literature and art did not stop right there and then - nothing better could be possibly done. It is not true, of course but it was one of the rare moments that you'd like to capture and cherish forever. Last month while visiting the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, I bought a miniature book that includes a suite of 42 Lithographs created by Marc Chagall (1887-1985) to illustrate "Daphnis and Chloe". Chagall's visual interpretation of the Greek pastoral romance of the 2nd (or 3rd) century AD is unique and unforgettable. Even if you don't like Chagall's style, you will not be able to forget it. With his 42 Lithographs, Chagall created a monument to both, Longus and himself. "Daphnis and Chloe" is known as one of the great illustrated books of our time.

A delightful tale
The story dates from classical Greece. After two thousand years, the story is still fresh and charming - the sign of a true classic. It's about young love, eager and inept, with gods, pirates, and other harmless excitement. The writer included the happy fumblings of physical affection that a modern author would have shied from, sweet and not at all salacious. The story finishes with an improbable and triumphantly happy ending. Good happy fun, and not a lengthy read.

Beyond the story itself, I found this book very informative. The story is supposedly one that Shakespeare read, and it shows. Some of the Bard's endings look a bit recycled once you've read Daphnis and Chloe. I also found that it explained Marc Chagall's cycle of lithographs - the images make more sense, now that I've seen their inspiration. In addition, there's satisfaction in knowing that this story, with such influence on such great minds, and is now a part of my education, too.

All that was extra reward, though. I wanted the book because Chagall's illustration. It's there, in dozens of beautiful color reproductions, including some two-page spreads. Up til now, Marc Chagall has always been in the lower ranks among my favorite artists. After seeing his work in this book, I have a new respect for it. He's still not among my very favorites, but I enjoy the lithos shown here. Even more, I enjoy them as a coherent body visual work and as a narrative.

Best, though, is quality of this book for its price. It's well printed on heavy stock, and the color printing is strong and nuanced. The production values in the color pages and the sheer number of them are quite astonishing for a book that costs so little. I plan to enjoy this book for a long time.

Chagall is a Genius
This book masterfully combines a beautiful love story with amazing lithographs by Chagall.Chagall brings spring to the canvas with his omnipitant use of color and his composition remnisant of ambrosia and nectar.Emphisizing the Greece of Aphrodite, the sensuality of the mortalbody, and simplicity of true love, Chagall combines vibrant colors, simplefigures, and a flowing narrative to achieve perfection. To put it bluntly,the book should be bought if only for the lithograph reproductions, whichturn out quite well.The quality is well worth the extraordinary goodprice, having seen the originals on display in galleries for upwards of$19,000. ... Read more