Cathy's Art Diary

Surprising exhibition at Alon Zakaim Fine Art of works by Marc Chagall. This is why I love drifting around Mayfair art galleries. You suddenly come across a show that might be a major headline piece in a museum. I could image this as a focus show at the Courtauld. The display showcased pieces from the finest collections of privately owned Chagall works in the UK dating from 1938 to 1984. Some of the more complex works had good labels explaining who was in the pictures and the symbolism of them. Shown over two floors there was a fascinating selection of works a number of which were for sale and had sold. Generously a number were shown in their extensive windows for those not brave enough to go in. I did go in but I wasn't brave enough to take a photo in the show so this is a piece in the window. Closes 16 February 2024    

Lovely little exhibition at Eames Fine Art of illustrations for the Old Testament by Chagall. These pictures were done over a long period of time starting in about 1930 and finishing in the 1950s. They were used in different projects including a book and sets of prints. They were expressive in brilliant colours and made you want to go back to the bible stories and look up who the characters were again. There was a lovely picture called “Moses and the Tablets III” and they had the print and the drawing. There was also a very tender Abraham and Sarah with a blue snail in the top left hand corner. I particularly like the Garden of Eden sequence.