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Israel Museum's Chagall collection goes on display in Minsk

An exhibition of artworks by Marc Chagall (1887-1985) held by the Israel Museum was opened in Minsk on November 1.

The exhibition will be hosted by the National Museum of Art on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of the Belarusian-born artist, Deputy Education Minister Tadevush Struzhetski told reporters on October 31.

On display are 89 works that were created by Chagall between the 1910s and 1961, including landscapes, portraits and Bible illustrations.

"The exhibition of our famous countryman will become one of the largest events dedicated to the 125th birth anniversary of the artist," Mr. Struzhetski said. "We planned to hold this exhibition much later, but thanks to good organization, Belarusians will be able to see the works by the great master as early as this year. It's no secret that the exhibition is very expensive."

The year 2012 may well be called the unofficial year of museums, Mr. Struzhetski noted. "We've held more than 50 major exhibitions in Minsk alone," he said. "In 2011, five million people visited the state museums in Belarus."

The Israel Museum's Chagall collection includes 300 works, mostly drawings, according to Tanya Sirakovich, head curator of prints and drawings.

Called "Marc Chagall: Life and Love," the exhibition runs until January 28, 2013. The ticket price is 50,000 rubels ($5.9). //BelaPAN