I chose to write upon the artwork of Marc Chagall, specifically on “America Windows”. I could not think of a work of art to appreciate more than a piece that summarizes all of the arts. This is what America Windows accomplishes. As a gift from Marc Chagall to the Art Institute of Chicago, it demonstrates the cities connection to the arts. In addition to being a gift to the Art Institute, America Windows was also a dedication piece to Mayor Richard J. Daley-a good friend of Marc Chagall. During this time, Chicago was seeing a renaissance of art and around this time the public piece “The Picasso” was inaugurated in Daily Plaza. Chagall was approached to create a piece to commemorate the upcoming bicentennial year, and for this he created the “Four Seasons Mosaic”, which now resides in the Chase Tower Plaza. During this time, Chagall visited the Art Institute and overheard of a new expansion they were soon to create. Chagall decided to create a piece to unveil in its opening. This was the birth of America Windows. The life of Marc Chagall was not a privileged one. Born in Liozna, Russia in 1887 as the oldest of nine and son of a local herring merchant, his family was not considered well-off. In addition to this, Chagall was also Jewish in a time where they were discriminated against. Jewish youths were not allowed to attend regular school so he was forced to attend a small temple-based school where he learned the Torah and studied the Bible. It was during this time where Chagall fell in love with the art of painting. He shadowed a local artist since he was unable to pay for formal lessons. This passion grew into a full flourished career when he moved to St. Petersburg to attend the Zrautseva School of Drawing. Unfortunately Jews were not allowed in the city but with the help of a friend he was able to attain a temporary pass into the city so that he could attend class. After his years of formal education, Chagall decided to move away from oppression and to where the arts flourished. He found himself in Paris, France. Here he attended the Académie de La Palette and learned under André Dunoyer de Segonzac and Henri Le Fauconnier. Working at another academy, Chagall spent his free time browsing art galleries where cubism was the predominant art form of France at the time.This is where Chagall picked up most of his influences that would follow him for the rest of his career. After his formal education Chagall was hired to paint scenes of the Old Testament. Here he got in touch with his religious background as he was deeply connected with his heritage. Unfortunately this oasis of freedom and religious rights would be a center of hate and intolerance. In June of 1940, Nazi Germany invaded France, targeting foreign non-German arts and artists. Chagall was at an extreme risk from not only being a foreign Russian painter but a proud Jew as well with many Jewish works of art in his gallery. Chagall and his wife sought refuge from the third Reich but could not afford the cost of traveling. With the help of Alfred Bar of the New York Museum of Art, Chagall and his wife were placed on an exclusive list of valued scientists and artists that were helped by the United States to seek freedom in America. One of the most famous refugees on this list was Albert Einstein. In America, Chagall adored the diverse culture and freedom to express his ideals. He felt at home on New York’s lower east side where he could read Yiddish newspapers and eat traditional Jewish f