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Wrong Way LA - Wondering Around LACMA

Posters around Miracle Mile advertised that Chagall was at LACMA through January 7th using this image:


The exhibit was for Chagall's music and dance designs. Thanks to a wonderful Christmas gift of a museum membership I was able to go with a couple of friends. Before we hit the Chagall exhibit though for some strange reason I wanted to check out this painting:


It's a painting entitled "The Magdalen with the Smoking Flame" by Georges de la Tour. For some reason this painting fascinated me. We stood in front of it and stared for quite some time. It was interesting how we each interpreted the masterpiece. There were so many nuances that it took quite a bit of time to really get the feeling of it. We all observed the fact that it looks like she's pregnant, and were fascinated by tracing the rope around her waste to the blocks on the floor - drowning herself, perhaps? But the weirdest thing was the way The Magdalen looks almost doll-like in the painting. Her skin sort of a fake plastic look.

I decided that I needed to go to the museum often and pick out one painting to really study.

The Chagall exhibit was amazing. There were numerous costumes and drawings and some film of the costumes in action. Some are still in use today for the ballet, "The Firebird". These costumes were recreated under Chagall's supervision in the 60's. The presentation for them depicted a stage with the costumes standing individually. All except for these two:


I really wanted to believe that there was a reason they put these two right next to each other but after trying to find something about it on the internet, I think it was just the way they decided to exhibit them. They are both from "The Firebird" the one on the left is Demon and the one on the right is Fish. If you're familiar with the ballet and have any ideas let me know!

xoxox
Julie

Comments

  1. Great post! I saw a Chagall America Windows exhibit in Chicago. http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/109439 I like the way you're exploring. Traveling is a state of mind.

    And I definitely don't look enough. I should try studying some of those murals I like for longer than a minute or two.

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