Chagall, born of Jewish parents in Russia in 1887, first studied art in St. Petersburg before traveling to Paris in 1910. Once in Paris Chagall counted among his friends many artists of the avant garde like Picasso and Modigliani.

After exhibiting at a gallery in Berlin in 1914, Chagall returned to Russia. He founded an art school in Vitebsk and in 1917 was made director and Commissar of fine art for Vitebsk by the Soviet minister. The element of fantasy in his work caused problems with the authorities, who demanded traditional, realistic art carrying a social message. Chagall traveled to Moscow where he designed sets and costumes for the Jewish Theater.

Although Chagall's work became notorious for its fairy tale like qualities and fantastic imagery, he stated that all his pictures were derived from boyhood memories. Chagall repeats certain images over and over: roosters and doves, musicians and harlequins, and always worked from a bright pallette.