Around Her

Painters--
This painting by Chagall interested me first because of its vibrant blues. Though the painting seems somber, the colors are not, in actuality, dark or depressing. The blue is intense, while splashes of yellow, orange, and red stand undefiled, suggesting a certain endurance and hope in the face of confusion and sadness. To me, "Around Her" is most certainly about the painter's beloved wife, Bella. Bella Chagall passed several months before this work. Chagall often obsessed over brides and grooms in his artwork, and one other of his paintings featured Bella as his bride a full nine years after their marriage. This leads me to think that in this painting, Chagall himself is the painter with the upside down head. His wife is his bride still, even after her death, which I interpret from the bride and groom in the upper right corner. An angel brings Chagall an image of his former happy domestic life in the bubble at center. The woman in red I take to be Bella, because she seems to be in the clouds. She looks lovingly at Chagall, though he looks out of the work, incapable of seeing her in return. Her head tilts empathetically. I love the romantic longing expressed in this painting. I love the use of color and the unexpected twists. Happy viewing!