The Appearance Of The National Consciousness

Marc Chagall ( 1887 ?1985 ) is one of the most great Jewish artists in 20th century. Though he makes a name for himself in the flourishing age of modernism, and has relations with many modern art groups, Chagall availably maintains his national traditions, and successfully combines Jewish spirit, personal experience with modern art.Contemporary Art History and Jewish Culture Study generally focus on the early stage of Chagall's art course, which he positively participating in modern art movements and being concerned with Jewish national art renaissance, and consider he might lose his imagination in late works, most of which are commissions.In my opinion, it's just when Chagall come through a lot of significant events, such as modern art movements, national art renaissance, the holocaust and the rebirth of Israel, he could meditate upon his owe cultural identity and Jewish nation's place in history, present and future. And these ponders must be reflected in his creations. Chagall's art become more monumental and mature after 1948, using iconography based on Jewish experience and Biblical symbol to construct his personal pictorial quotation, turning his interest from the innovation of style to the plasticity of materials, and then utilizing some magnificent and valuable projects to achieve his art idea.Viewing the matter from the nation and identity, and using a number of the newest fruits of sociology, literature and Jewish Culture Study for reference, I give a clue to Chagall's Jewish national consciousness, and through rich iconography analyses I will finally reveal the different modality of national consciousness reflected in Chagall's artworks between early and later period (bounded by 1948), and the reasons of the transformation.