How did Marc Chagall deal with his wife’s death?

Question by ashley: How did Marc Chagall deal with the death of his wife?
Could anyone find me a website which specifically discusses how Marc Chagall dealt with the death of his wife, Bella? Not just a one word sentence but a very in-depth article.

Answers and Views:

Answer by vpytko
Try dogpile rather than google. Here is what I came up with in just a few minutes, from various sites, piecing several citations together:

While Chagall was in New York he worked from 1943 to 1944 with a widely known and influential printmaker, Stanley William Hayter. It was in his studio, Atelier 17, that Chagall’s interest in the circus series was reignited. With everything new around him, the intensity of a large city, and the strange language on the street, Chagall was inspired to stretch the boundaries of his creative powers. He created an unusual series of etchings of the circus using string and textile imprints.

During a vacation in upstate New York in 1944, Chagall’s beloved Bella came down with strep throat. Chagall, who couldn’t speak English very well, was turned away from the hospital to which he brought her, being told that it was too late. After she passed away the next day, Chagall couldn’t bring himself to paint for nine months. Over the course of that time, he helped their daughter Ida translate Bella’s memoirs of Russia, Burning Lights, for publication.

It was also in New York that Chagall created his very first true color lithographs called the Arabian Nights (1946-47). Before these series Chagall created only black and white lithographs or etchings that were later hand colored with watercolors.

In late August of 1949 Chagall returned to France. He lived in several beautiful places up and down the French coastline, rediscovering his love for France at every turn. During the five or so months he lived near Saint Jean Cap Ferrat he re-established his relationship with the publisher Tèriade. Tèriade had started one of the most important art magazines of the 20th century, The Minotaure. It was through this publication that Tèriade had the opportunity to collaborate with the most important and influential artists and poets of the time including Picasso, Andre Breton, Max Jacob, Jean Cocteau, and Salvador Dali. This cutting-edge magazine/art review was used as a springboard for the surrealists’ ideas and images. The publication was said to have anticipated “everything that burst forth in art, poetry, or literature twenty or thirty years later.” It was this same artistic vision and perception that led Tèriade to Chagall. He had always thought of Chagall’s work as surreal.

When Chagall showed Tèriade the preliminary work he had done on the circus series, Tèriade immediately commissioned him to finish the project. Chagall agreed, but other projects were to come first. Tèriade published The Fables of La Fontaine with Chagall in 1952.

Timeline

1944. Bella dies. For nine months he does no work, occupying him¬self solely with bringing out Bella’s writings under the title Lighted Lamps.
1945. Starts work again with scenery and costumes for Stravinsky’s Firebird for presentation by the Ballet Theatre of New York.
1946. Selected exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
1947. Exhibition at the Musee National d’Art Moderne, Paris. First colour lithographs.
1948. Triumphant return to Paris. Renews contact with Teriade who from then on acts as his publisher.
1950. Settles in Vence, Provence. First attempts at painting and modelling ceramics.
1951. First stone sculptures.
I952. Meets Valentine Brodsky (Vava) and marries her. Travels with her to Greece.

Source(s):
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