Painting “Above the City” by Marc Chagall is a pictorial metaphor for inspiring happiness

Above the City is a painting in which Marc Zakharovich Chagall depicted himself and his beloved Bella in 1918. In the center of the work are two people soaring in the sky above the artist’s hometown. They do not just hug each other, but seem to have merged together. Bella is written out with great love: smooth lines, graceful figure.

Chagall portrayed himself in a more strict cubic manner, adding clear breaks and sharp corners as a symbol of masculinity. In the lower part of the picture, Vitebsk is depicted at the beginning of the 20th century: crooked houses, endless fences, a snow-white temple. And also a green goat and a man with his pants down as a mockery of everyday reality. On the faces of the main characters of the work, thoughtfulness and detachment are read.

Name of the painting: “Above the city.”
Author: Marc Chagall (1887-1985).
Year of writing: 1918
Size: 141 x 197 cm.
Style: Avant-gardism.
Genre: Household.
Technique: Oil.
Material: Canvas.
Location: State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

Marc Chagall is a Russian and French master of the avant-garde direction in painting of the 20th century.

He met Bella – his permanent muse – in 1909, but was able to connect with her only six years later, when he completed his studies in Paris. It was then that Chagall began to paint “Above the City”, reflecting on canvas his joy from meeting after a long separation, dreams of a happy family life.

The color scheme of the masterpiece looks somewhat incoherent and irrational, but in fact it quite accurately complements the artist’s intention. The soft blue color in Bella’s figure speaks of Chagall’s romantic nature. The green shirt is a symbol of love for life. These vibrant hues stand out against the sky, making the flying people the center of the composition. Small houses at first glance seem gray and featureless, as if shrouded in haze.

The whole picture is permeated with the atmosphere of a fairy tale, a magical dream. And everyday moments depicted with a certain amount of irony, hinting at the prose of real life, only emphasize the detachment of the main characters from the dullness of being, belonging to the romantic world known only to them, where two souls become one.

The painting “Above the City” by Marc Chagall is an endless flight of fantasy, inspired by love and dreams of the future. Currently, the work can be seen in the exposition of the State Tretyakov Gallery.