Idea of Art Synthesis by Marc Chagall: from Vitebsk Mystery to Total Creation

Introduction: overcoming boundaries as the philosophy of creativity

The idea of art synthesis, key for the avant-garde of the early XX century, acquired a unique, deeply personal dimension in Marc Chagall. A native of the multicultural Vitebsk, where Yiddish, Russian, and Belarusian were spoken, where the life of a Jewish shtetl mixed with symbols of Orthodox churches, Chagall initially perceived the world as a whole, although paradoxical, polymorphic space. His desire for synthesis was not a formal experiment, but an existential and almost mystical attempt to express the inexpressible: inner truth, memory, love, spiritual enlightenment, for which a canvas or paint was not enough. Synthesis for him was a way to achieve maximum expressiveness, creating a "total work of art" (Gesamtkunstwerk), encompassing the viewer from all sides.

Theoretical Origins: Vitebsk, Petersburg, Paris

The formation of the concept occurred under the influence of several sources:

His own cultural hybrid experience. Folkloric imagery, the musicality of Yiddish, the vividness of signs and murals on Vitebsk shops, the religious prohibition on depiction in Judaism, which Chagall overcame through poetic metaphor — all this formed a natural basis for syncretic thinking.

Russian symbolism and ideas of "Mystery". In Petersburg, Chagall found himself in an environment that dreamed of a new synthetic theater capable of reviving the ancient mystery. The ideas of Vyacheslav Ivanov and Alexander Scriabin about collective art involving all senses had an impact on him.

The Parisian environment and "Russian Seasons". In Paris, he saw the triumph of synthesis in the Diaghilev's "Russian Seasons" ballets, where music, dance, and painting (including his compatriot Leon Bakst) merged into one.

Practical Realizations: Key Projects and Media

1. Theater: from "Theatrical Revolution" to Gogol
In the theater, Chagall realized synthesis most fully, seeing it as an analogy to a folk festival.

Yiddish Chamber Theater (Moscow, 1920-21). His famous panels for the State ET hall were not just decorations but a "box painted from the inside," creating an immersive environment. The viewer was immersed in a chromatic symphony of blue, green, and red, where figures flew and danced, erasing the boundary between the stage and the hall. This was a synthesis of painting and architectural space.

Ballet "Alekо" (1942) and "The Firebird" (1945). Working on costumes and scenery, Chagall regarded them as a continuation of painting in motion. The sketches for the costumes of "The Firebird" were independent graphic works where color and form predetermined the plasticity of the dancer. He personally supervised to ensure that the color spots on the stage formed a living, dynamic picture, consonant with the music (Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky).

2. Monumental Art: stained glass, mosaics, ceramics
After the war, synthesis in Chagall took on a public, often sacred character.

Stained glass: His stained glass for cathedrals in Metz, Reims, churches in Zurich, the Hadassah Medical Center synagogue in Jerusalem — a classic example of the synthesis of light, color, and architecture. Chagall used glass as a material for "painting" space with light. Each stained glass (for example, the cycle "Twelve Tribes of Israel") was a color score changing throughout the day, creating an atmosphere of meditation. He closely collaborated with master Charles Marc, developing a unique technique of engraving and overlaying colors to achieve dramatic effects.

Mosaics and ceramics: The "Exodus" mosaic in the Marc Chagall Museum in Nice or the "Four Seasons" mosaic in Chicago — this is the translation of his painting language into an eternal, monumental material. He introduced smalt and ceramics into architecture, making art part of the urban environment.

3. Book Illustration: the synthesis of word and image
Illustrating books ("Dead Souls" by Gogol, "Fables" by La Fontaine, the Bible), Chagall created not just accompanying pictures but visual poems. Engravings and etchings entered into dialogue with the text, complementing it with their own, often autobiographical, associations. Here the synthesis occurred at the level of meaning: the image became a literary commentary, and the text — a key to visual images.

Apogee: "Biblical Message" and Museum in Nice

The culmination of the idea of synthesis was the National Museum of Marc Chagall in Nice (opened in 1973). The artist himself participated in the design, creating not just an exhibition space but a total environment. Here everything is subordinate to a single idea:

Painting: 17 paintings of the "Biblical Message" cycle.

Architecture: A building filled with natural light, specially designed for the perception of his paintings.

Stained glass: A monumental rose window in the concert hall on the theme of the Creation of the World.

Mosaics: The exterior mosaic "Prophet Elijah" and the mosaic pool "Prophets" in the garden.

Music: A concert hall where music (Mozart, Bach) corresponding to the spiritual atmosphere is performed. Chagall painted the ceiling of the hall, connecting painting with acoustic space.

This museum is the materialized philosophy of Chagall: art should surround a person, involve them in its world through all channels of perception.

Music as the Foundation of Synthesis

The key to understanding Chagall's synthesis is music. He often compared painting to music, his compositions were built on color chords and rhythmic repetitions of forms. "If I were not a Jew… I would not be an artist, — he said, — or I would be a completely different artist". His connection with music was rooted in the melody of Yiddish and Hasidic chants. Synthesis in Chagall often was a attempt to "sound" painting — hence his love for the depiction of musicians, violinists, and his work on theatrical and scenographic projects where music set the tone.

Conclusion: synthesis as a way of being in art

For Marc Chagall, the synthesis of arts was not a formal technique or an utopian program. It was an organic way of artistic thinking and being, stemming from his personality, roots, and belief in the miracle. He did not erase the boundaries between the arts but made them lead an intense dialogue, enhancing the expressiveness of each. From Vitebsk panels to the Nice museum, Chagall created whole artistic worlds where color, line, light, sound, movement, and poetic image merged into a single spiritual experience. His legacy proves that synthesis is not a technique of the past but a living path to the creation of total, all-encompassing art, addressed to the deepest layers of the human soul and memory.
© elibrary.org.uk

Permanent link to this publication: