Photo by A. Serrano 5-22-13 Art Institute of Chicago

Marc Chagall’s “White Crucifixion”

Photo by A. Serrano 5-22-13 Art Institute of Chicago

Serrano2

Araceli Serrano

C. Bachand

Haa 130

29 May 2013

“White Crucifixion”

French artist Marc Chagall created a European based painting in 1938 by the name of

“White Crucifixion.” As a result, Chagall’s work triggered a series of crucifixion paintings

throughout Europe. However Chagall’s work brings up the controversial issue of bringing up

Jewish issues through a Christian subject. According to "About This Artwork," “White

Crucifixion” is oil painted on a 60 3/4 x 55 in. (154.3 x 139.7 cm) canvas and is displayed at the

Art Institute of Chicago. Chagall uses Jesus as a primary figure to his artwork but also depicts

multiple events happening around him some to which Chagall puts more detail into than others.

The artwork displays a crucified Jesus as the primary image, this is noted not only

because Jesus is placed in the center of the artwork but also because of the large scale that he is

given. Chagall also included a strong shade of white coming from the upper right shining on to

Jesus alone, this also helps conclude that Jesus is the primary figure in “White Crucifixion.”

Additionally, “The traditional INRI sign (“Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews”) which is

translated on the cross-bar itself into Aramaic,” (Amishai-Maisels 139). Because of the writing

located on the crucified man’s halo it is more evident that the man is Jesus. McCarty writes, “He

bows his head in silence, as if in prayer or mourning. A light shines from above, while silent

candles hold vigil at the base of the cross.” Jesus’ face is depicted as tired while the figures

Serrano3

around him show faces full of grief, panic or even hysteria. The strongest facial expressions

within Chagall’s work are seen in the figures floating above Jesus, grieving his death. Another

strong facial expression is the one seen on the woman in the bottom right of the canvas who is

holding a child, her expression shows fear and worry. Furthermore, the halo above Jesus’ head

and another surrounding the menorah, a Jewish symbol, placed below Jesus’ feet creates some

sort of balance within Chagall’s work.

Chagall chooses to use very little color in his “White Crucifixion” limiting the colors he

does use to green, blue, red and some faded shade of yellow. Colors were used to draw attention

to the surrounding figures. The surrounding scenes that Chagall included in his work were those

to symbolize the destruction within Jewish communities. For example, the bottom right of the

artwork shows a man in action, what appears to be fleeing the Jewish community. While on the

upper right, there is a red- faced figure opening the doors of a burning synagogue. The fact that

Chagall decided to give this figure a red face shows that he is responsible for causing the burning

of the synagogue. Furthermore, “Below the soldier lie other objects from the pillaged synagogue:

an overturned chair, the torn remnants of a prayer book, a Hanukah menorah with a tall back

stand, and what appears to be a lamp, perhaps the Eternal Light that once hung before the ark…

an open prayer book and a smoking torah scroll lie violated on the ground,” (Amishai-Maisels

140). The objects that lie outside of the synagogue indicate that the building in flames is indeed a

synagogue. Amishai-Maisels suggests that the man standing before the synagogue is a soldier

due to his outfit and the badge on his right hand. In the upper left of the canvas Chagall

implemented a large battalion coming over a hill ready to attack which shows that there is more

Jewish destruction ahead. The houses underneath the battalion have been attacked and the figures

lying around them appear to be dead or mourning the dead. Additionally, there is a house that

Serrano4

appears to be sideways which indicates destruction. Chagall also included the crowd on the boat

to show that the Jewish attempted to flee.

Another thing that is important to note is that the figures depicted in Chagall’s piece are

not painted to scale. Jesus is by far the largest image in the painting while the rest of the figures

vary in size. “The arrangement here, with smaller, related episodes arranged around a central

figure, recalls the icon paintings which Chagall grew up surrounded by in Russia, and the

viewer's eye is invited to circle around the perimeter of the picture, meditating on the scenes one

by one,” (Rosen). Chagall painted most of the figures closest to the viewer larger than those who

should appear further away. The men in the lower left of the canvas are larger than most but then

there is a woman holding closely to a child in the mid-section of the canvas who is drawn to a

smaller scale. Additionally, the figures floating above Jesus are depicted on a scale similar to the

men closest to the viewer. The large battalion of men on the upper left of the canvas seems to be

almost the height of the houses where they are near. Also, the people on the boat seem to be

smaller than the men of the battalion who stand further away, which can be due to both groups

containing large multitudes.

Also, Chagall’s painting does not provide too much of an obvious landscape however,

because of his lack of color use. The title of his painting is however “White Crucifixion” so the

strong use of white and shades is rather important. Viewers are able to differentiate where scenes

end and where they begin through the heavier shading Chagall used in some areas. For example,

the battalion seems to be hiking up a hill to attack another village; the darker shading implies the

separation of land and sky. Also, the boat is located, heavy shading is lacked which indicates a

body of water.

Serrano5

“White Crucifixion” was developed with incredible detail for explanation. Chagall

incorporated events from his time and related them to those from Jesus’ time as well. His piece,

despite being a more complex one, triggered a series of crucifixion paintings across Europe. The

artist achieved the goal of raising awareness to the destruction of the Jewish communities while

relating to the tormentors of Jesus during his time. As Amer writes, “‘The way in which Chagall

harnesses the lost world of the past and this incredibly revolutionary world of contemporary

painting . . . I don’t know of anyone else straddles . . . those two worlds,” said Chagall

biographer Jonathan Wilson.” Generating Jesus as a the primary figure within the artwork causes

the viewer to think about how or why Chagall implemented Jesus’ crucifixion, a Christian

symbol, with Jewish events which in turn helps Chagall achieve his goal.

Serrano6

Works Cited

"About This Artwork." White Crucifixion. Art Institute of Chicago, n.d. Web. 21 May 2013.

Amer, Robin. "Marc Chagall's Painting 'White Crucifixion' Is Affecting, Shows Jewish Trauma." WBEZ

91.5. Chicago Public Media, 16 Mar. 2013. Web. 22 May 2013.

Amishai-Maisels, Ziva. "Chagall's “White Crucifixion”" JSTOR. Art Institute of Chicago Museum

Studies, 1991. Web. 21 May 2013.

Kleiner, Fred S., and Helen Gardner. Gardner's Art through the Ages: A Concise Global History.

Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.

McCarty, Julie. "Holy Week: Meditating on Marc Chagall’s White Crucifixion." Spiritual Drawing

Board. N.p., 20 Apr. 2011. Web. 22 May 2013.

Rosen, Aaron. "The Jewish Jesus in Modern Art: Marc Chagall's White Crucifixion." Rosen: White

Crucifixion. Jewish non-Jewish Relations, n.d. Web. 22 May 2013.