Painting a blend of the fantasy, nostalgia and religious imagery, Marc Chagall (1887 – 1985) intended his paintings to be odes to love. Despite an impoverished upbringing in a Shtetl in Russia, Chagall filled his canvases with happy, optimistic references to his childhood which he denoted in delicate lines and bright colors. After living in Paris he moved to the United States during World War II, where he depicted the plights of Jewish martyrs and refugees. In a rare occurrence, his sensitive, spiritual paintings were exhibited at the Louvre during his lifetime.

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