Lewis, J. Patrick and Jane Yolen. Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse. Mankato, MN: Creative Paperbacks. 2014. ISBN: 978-0898129748.
SUMMARY AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Lewis and Yolen have created original poetry to accompany a collection of Marc Chagall's celebrated paintings. The poetic verses add description and explanation to the art work. The beautiful lines of Chagall's brushstrokes, his dramatic angles and the rich hues reflect his deep emotional experiences. Historical notes, descriptions and background information are included for each art piece. Chagall's personal history is paralleled with the major historical events of the time. Readers will get acquainted with Chagall's passion and exceptional artistic talent by viewing each unique painting and lingering over the accompanying poetry.
Free verse, couplets and other poetry styles provide a rich variety of poetic experiences. In "I and the Village," Lewis uses a strong rhyme scheme, ending lines with village/tillage, mirror/clearer, and child/wild. In "Maternity," Yolen creates a flowing free verse, that matches the beauty and love of Chagall's wife and their newborn baby. Lewis and Yolen's work alternates throughout the book, providing differing perspectives on the artwork. Each poem uses the identical title of the accompanying artwork. The poet's words provide possible interpretations for each painting and help to make Chagall's masterful artwork accessible to the novice.
The images of the original artwork are beautifully displayed, filling single pages or double page spreads. Chagall's paintings reflect many surrealist scenes with floating figures, objects placed in unexpected positions, various sizes of people and things arranged right-side up, up-side down and sideways. A combination of strong angles and lines reflect Chagall's exploration with cubism. Rich and dramatic colors are present in each piece. Rich reds and deep greens provide intensity, while other colors are subdued and pale. The portrait of Chagall's first wife and his true love is realistic and bold, painted mostly black and white. The selection of artwork provides an interesting sampling of Chagall's work.
Each painting includes a label with the title, date, the art medium, size of the work and the current location of the original. Photographs of Chagall are interspersed throughout and a well-placed quotation from the artist will help the reader connect to this talented man. The combination of factual information, historical context, engaging poetry, photographs of the artist and beautiful artwork make this a unique poetry book. It is an engaging study in art history and a poetic journey in one satisfying title. This book is highly recommended for any reader interested in art.
SPOTLIGHT ON A POEM:
The Yiddish expression "with seven fingers" means to do something very well. The poem, "Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers" by Lewis is an example of a quatern poem. It contains 16 lines in four stanzas, and each line has eight syllables and follows a rhyming scheme of ABBA for each stanza. This poem describes the artist's ability to connect the beauty of Paris and the dreams of his homeland with his "seven fingered" painting expertise and his paint brush. Before introducing this poem to students, show them beautiful pictures of the Eiffel Tower as well as Chagall's painting by the same title. Allow students to look at the painting and respond to the piece. Read the poem aloud two times and then provide the students with a copy of the poem, encouraging them to read it again to themselves. After experiencing the poem, provide the students with background information about the artwork and the artist. Encourage the students to read the poem again; slowly, thoughtfully, and carefully as they considered the words.
"Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers"
Today I make a work of art,
A red-and-orange wonderland
by seven-fingered sleight of hand—
Let ambiguity play a part.
I stand the Eiffel Tower there,
Beyond the window of my room
To let the monumental bloom
Create the necessary air
Of majesty, which represents
Oddly its counterpoint: lush dreams
Of home. I take these two extremes—
The margins of experience,
Allowing them to guide my hand—
This weird, improbable device
For resurrecting paradise—
So everyone might understand.
EXTENSION:
Students may connect to the Guggenheim Museum to see more of Chagall's works at http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/artists/bios/1172. Students could explore more information about the artist and take time to view one or more of his paintings. Clicking on each painting on the website allows the viewer to see a larger version of the painting. Students could explore several of the pieces and freely respond to Chagall's work.
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