Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall's The Fiddler, completed just after moving to Paris from St. Petersburg, is a good representation of the artist's work from this period. The fiddler as a subject is often found in Chagall's work. The huge figure of the musician in this painting stands with one foot on the roof of a building, the other on a small hilltop which flattens out the picture plane. By including the homes in the background as well as the musician, this painting recalls memories of Russia. Chagall's paintings realized during this time in Paris often portrayed scenes from Russia with inspiration from his new surroundings. Cubist influences can be seen in the series of flat planes and geometric shapes as well as in the non traditional perspective.
This painting can be seen on Stedelijk's latest exhibition Chagall, Picasso, Mondrian and Others: Migrant Artists in Paris. It presents art from the superb collection of the Stedelijk Museum, and includes work by more than 50 artists, photographers and graphic designers. The show ends on February 2nd, don't miss it!
P.S. It's not so widely known that Marc Chagall besides his famous paintings created also stained glass windows. See them here!