From The Temple Museum Collection
“Ever since my earliest youth, I have been fascinated by the Bible.”
– Marc Chagall
Join in the journey of the vivid and imaginative world of Marc Chagall as he tells the story of Exodus through 24 dramatic lithographs exhibited in the Hartzmark Center Gallery. The exhibit includes 20 original works from the portfolio of 24 vibrant, full-color lithographs that takes us through key moments of the inspirational and magical Exodus story. The remaining four pieces are currently displayed at The Temple-Tifereth Israel Gallery at the Maltz Museum.
Chagall and his creative collaborator Charles Sorlier, a master lithographer at Mourlot Atelier Studio in Paris, created this portfolio in 1966. To perfect the deep, colorful images they used up to 25 separate lithographic plates per print. Leon Amiel of Paris and New York published this exceptional work. It is edition number 188/250, and it is printed on Arches paper.
In the exhibition companion brochure, you will find that each image is accompanied by excerpts from The Book of Exodus taken from a 1597 English translation from a Bible printed in London. Next to the solemn and antiquated language of this translation you will also find comments written especially for the occasion by Rabbi Roger C. Klein. They probe and enrich our understanding of the Biblical story. Rabbi Klein explains: “Marc Chagall’s Exodus is the story of people: of the masses whom Chagall evidently admires and loves and of the passionately devoted and deeply human leaders who feel the spark of the divine and willingly and reverently participate in a process they cannot fully understand.”
Also included in the exhibition is the exceptional volume Drawings for the Bible by Marc Chagall. The book provides the entire series of which Exodus is part. Produced in Paris by VERVE and published in the USA in 1960 by Harcourt, Brace and Co., the book contains 96 drawings in black and white heliogravure and 24 lithographs in color. It is a limited-edition of 2000 copies. This volume is on loan from the collection of Joe Kanfer.
The Story of Exodus was a generous gift to The Temple Museum by the Meldon family in memory of Rhoda Goldberg Meldon.