HAMBURG.- In the fall of 2010, the Bucerius Kunst Forum is showing around 150 works by Marc Chagall (1887 – 1985). Entitled Marc Chagall. Lifelines, the exhibition presents numerous paintings, drawings and prints by Chagall from the collection of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, which can be seen for the first time in Germany. The museum holds major works from the collection of Ida Chagall, the artist’s daughter, as well as many other collectors. For the exhibition at the Bucerius Kunst Forum, the collection of the Israel Museum has been complemented by selected works from German and European collections.

The exhibition Marc Chagall. Lifelines examines the way in which personal experiences found their way into Chagall’s art. At the center of the exhibition is Chagall’s love for his wife Bella, which characterized his life and can be seen as a central theme in his many images of lovers. This area is surrounded by sections showing portraits, self-portraits and scenes from Jewish life in the Vitebsk shtetl. The illustrations that Chagall created for two books written by his wife form the starting point of the section dedicated to her and her collaboration with Chagall. Focus has also been placed on works where Chagall examined the role of the artist, giving insight into his understanding of himself. Another section is dedicated to Jewish religion and history in the works of Chagall. It examines the way he dealt with the Bible and his reaction to the Holocaust.

Following the Bucerius Kunst Forum’s monographic exhibitions devoted to Picasso (2002), Rodin (2006) and Matisse (2009), Marc Chagall. Lifelines continues the series of shows dedicated to French artists.