- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Yale University Press; 1 edition (Nov 25 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 030011155X
- ISBN-13: 978-0300111552
- Product Dimensions: 29.4 x 23.1 x 2.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 1.4 Kg
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#359,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Books > Arts & Photography > Artists, A-Z > ( A-C ) > Chagall, Marc
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
"Excellent. . . . First-rate essays . . . introduce more than 200 colorful illustrations which beautifully demonstrate the creativity of the Jewish artists who brilliantly used their avant-garde competence to complement the experimental stage productions."—Morton I. Teicher, Buffalo Jewish Review
(Morton I. Teicher Buffalo Jewish Review 20100101)"The present volume . . . is most impressive. . . . No more informative or attractive book could possibly grace a library''s collection or a coffee table. Highly recommended."—Choice
Finalist in the 2010 National Jewish Book Award in the Visual Arts Category sponsored by the Jewish Book Council
Product Description
Shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution, Soviet Jewish theaters became catalysts for modernist experimentation. Working with avant-garde playwrights, actors, and producers in a new political environment, artists such as Marc Chagall, Natan Altman, Robert Falk, and Aleksandr Tyshler combined Russian folk art with elements of Cubo-Futurism and Constructivism into a bold new style. This collaboration gave rise to extraordinary productions with highly original stage designs that redefined the concept of theater itself.
From the Jewish mythical and folkloric plays produced at Habima to the daring, expressionistic Yiddish dramas presented at the Moscow State Yiddish Theater (GOSET), this beautifully illustrated book chronicles the flourishing of Soviet Jewish theater in the 1920s and 1930s. Spanning such topics as Jewish culture and history in the Soviet Union, the volume includes stunning reproductions of Chagall’s celebrated theater murals; fascinating archival materials such as posters, prints, and playbills; designs for costumes and sets; and many other breathtaking works.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Much more than just another book on Chagall, Feb 19 2009
By Claude Reich - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater (Hardcover)
Far from being just another book on Chagall, this catalogue for a recent exhibition held at the Jewish Museum in NYC is a treasure trove of information, photographs and artworks documenting the intense relationship that the Russian-born Chagall (but not only him) maintained with Habima and Goset (the Moscow State Yiddish Theater), two theater companies that spearheaded a modernist revolution on the Russian and Jewish stages during the years following the 1917 Revolution, Habima being more Zionist-oriented (and eventually emigrating to Palestine) and Goset emphasizing the Expressionnistic side of its theater.The book tells the story of those two companies, draws a vivid portrait of the main actors (Salomon Mikhoels murdered by Stalin's henchmen in 1948), authors (Dobrushin, Babel, Asch...), artists (Chagall, of course, but also Natan Altman, Robert Falk, Ignaty Nivinsky or Isaac Rabinovich)and musicians (Lev Pulver, Moshe Milner...)who collaborated in all sorts of ways in this unique cultural experience.
The title is slightly misleading as Chagall left Goset in 1922 and the company went on until 1949 with many other artists taking a central role in designing costumes and sets, many of which are beautifully illustrated in never-before-seen images in the book.
This book is also a marvelous document on the Jewish cultural life in Russia during the first half of the XXth century, its relationship to Zionism and Communism and the diversity of the many artists taking part in it.
Highly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent overview of Russian Jewish Theatre, Jan 17 2010
By Ivor E. Zetler - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater (Hardcover)
The Moscow State Yiddish Theatre (GOSET) was established in Petrograd in 1919, moving to Moscow the following year. Subsidised by the state, it performed plays in Yiddish, as opposed to the alternative company Habimah who used the Hebrew language. GOSET disintegrated after the murder (ordered by Stalin) in 1948 of the great actor Solomon Mikhoels.Quoting from the catalogue: "To a large degree the Jewish theatre was influenced by the mass pageants, street performances, Russian circus, cabaret and music -hall burlesque of the early 20th century. Jewish artists absorbed the language of revolutionary art movements in Europe and Russia, notably Cubism, Futurism and Constructivism."
The first section of this catalogue contains informative articles related to GOSET and Habimah. The balance of the book contains illustrations featured in the exhibition; costume designs, posters, costumes plus historic photographs of stage sets, actors and artists.
One of the main centrepieces of the exhibition were the six theatre murals by Chagall. These are attractive works in the typical Chagall style. Using this artist's name in the title of the catalogue is an obvious marketing ploy and somewhat deceptive. Chagall's participation in the exhibition content is relatively minor; in fact Nathan Altman's works are at least equally prominent but his name lacks Chagall's cachet.
Nevertheless, this book gives a fascinating overview of Russian Jewish Theatre
in words and archival illustrations. The book is well printed with excellent quality reproductions.
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