Overview
Marc Chagall loved to listen to the scriptures being read out loud. When he was four years old he started to learn Hebrew at his religion classes and on the Sabbath he would go to the synagogue. Many years later the painter saw for himself the places described in the scriptures when he travelled to the Palestine - the Holy Land - with his wife, Bella, and their daughter Ida. For Chagall, God was to be found in all people and things and so he mixed the stories in the scriptures with the everyday world which we can see around us - just like he mixed the colours on his palette. What Colour is Paradise is an imaginatively written book for children, which takes a close look at a number of Chagall's fascinating paintings including The Creation of Mankind, Paradise and Noah's Arch.Synopsis
Marc Chagall loved to listen to the scriptures being read out loud. When he was four years old he started to learn Hebrew at his religion classes and on the Sabbath he would go to the synagogue. Many years later the painter saw for himself the places described in the scriptures when he travelled to the Palestine - the Holy Land - with his wife, Bella, and their daughter Ida. For Chagall, God was to be found in all people and things and so he mixed the stories in the scriptures with the everyday world which we can see around us - just like he mixed the colours on his palette. What Colour is Paradise is an imaginatively written book for children, which takes a close look at a number of Chagall's fascinating paintings including The Creation of Mankind, Paradise and Noah's Arch.
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Chagall's story begins with a description of his family, boyhood, and his Jewish community in the Russian town of Vitebsk. Brief paragraphs on each page bring details of the artist's character to life: "He had narrow shoulders and unruly hair and was good at singing, dancing and playing the violin." Biographical elements are illustrated by and interwoven with descriptions of his paintings. Chagall's work is predominately religious, and his paintings often contain a mixture of modern people and places with biblical stories and elements. The text provides excellent descriptions of such elements, such as the Wheel of Creation. Different features are highlighted to guide readers in looking at and deciphering the artwork. This volume is beautifully designed, with black-and-white photographs of the artist, his family, and studio; many large, full-color reproductions of his paintings; and varied textual elements (font sizes and colors). Certain phrases are highlighted by colored ink; these curving comments serve almost as captions or chapter titles. A worthy introduction to the artist.-Robin L. Gibson, Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.