Eternal Values on Stone and Canvas the Foundations of Bella Rosenfeld’S Home (Marc Chagall’S Wife) Have Been Unearthed in Vitebsk

10 CULTURE The Minsk Times Thursday, September 1, 2011 Eternal values on stone and canvas The foundations of Bella Rosenfeld’s home (Marc Chagall’s wife) have been unearthed in Vitebsk. Meanwhile, the quarter in Pokrovskaya Street where the globally famous artist lived is due to be restored, and the Art College, where Chagall, Malevich and Dobuzhinsky lectured, is to be revived. Draft of the quarter where Marc Chagall lived

By Viktar Korbut written between 1935 and 1944. Al- early 1990s, Pokrovskaya Street Many years ago, a quay though the original is in Yuddish, lacked the status of being a pro- was situated at the cross- it was later published in French, tected site and the initial plan of roads of Lenin and Tolstoy under the title Lumieres Allumees Vitebsk’s development envisaged streets, leading to the Vitba (Lit Lights), in Paris. She tells us, the construction of a bypass to River (from which the name “Jean Albert’s confec- ease transport fl ow in the centre, of Vitebsk originates). From tionery shop kitchen passing directly through Cha- here, goods were delivered to was located under gall’s house. In the 1990s, nobody trading stalls in the square the Rosenfelds’ realised that this was his former by the Town Hall (which still windows. Bella re- home; Ms. Khmelnitskaya dis- remains). Today, a twin-deck called the scents covered it by accident. berth is situated on the quay which arose from “Th e Marc Chagall Mu- but, in the late 19th-early below, oft en be- seum was established 20 years 20th century, the Brozi Hotel witching her. ago,” she tells us. “However, it stood on the site — one of If she went was only in the 1990s that I dis- the best in Belarus. out into covered documents at Belarus’ Merchant Shmuel-Neu- the court- National Historical Archives kh Rosenfeld, the father of yard, the stating that Hatskel and Feiga- Marc Chagall’s wife Bella, Ita Chagall owned ‘a stone ran a shop selling jewellery one storey house, with a small and watches on the ground fl oor of shop, in addition to a wooden the Brozi Hotel. With safes keeping house, two courtyard buildings gold and precious metals inside, he middle of and a wooden barn’ in Bolshaya preferred to live nearby, renting al- confection- the shop, Pokrovskaya Street. As Chagall most a whole fl oor for his family. ers some- there are writes in his My Life, his father Th e building is no longer stand- times al- three long bought a house in Pokrovskaya ing but Professor Olga Levko, who lowed her to counters Street ‘for several Roubles’— aft er heads the History Institute’s Cen- bowling alley and billiard tables. It lick the big spoon they used to stir with drawers, which divide the Marc’s birth and the death of his tre of Pre-Industrial Society His- also had some shops — selling jew- the chocolate being prepared. Her shop’s space. Th e windows are full grandfather. I also discovered a tory, at the National Academy of ellery, confectionery, furniture and parents were always busy at their of golden articles, gleaming like document specifying the date that Sciences of Belarus, recently con- artistic photos. Besides traditional watch and jewellery shop and her magic arks. Jewels of every pos- Chagall’s parents applied for per- ducted the fi rst dig at the site. Ms. hotel rooms, there were fl ats, such brothers had their own business er- sible colour are set in gold rings, mission to build their stone house: Levko has been studying Vitebsk as Chagall’s father-in-law lived in. rands to run, so small Bella — called bracelets and brooches; everything September 1900. Th ey requested a artefacts since 1976 and tells us, We’ve also discovered iron doors, tenderly Bashenka or Bashutka by glows, as if on fi re’.” license to ‘build a one storey stone “During our dig, we discovered an iron basket, fragments of 19th- relatives and neighbours — was Specialists are now preparing a house, with a cellar’ and their ap- the foundations of the Brozi Hotel, early 20th century glazed tiles home alone all day. Sometimes, she project to restore the quarter near plication was granted. Th e restora- which was situated at the cross- (stamped by Lisovsky factory) and quietly opened the door separating Pokrovskaya Street, covering fi ft y tion of the house, with an exhibi- roads of Smolenskaya and Pod- fl oor tiles (produced in Riga), and the shop from the living area and hectares, where Chagall’s house tion launched there, was complete vinskaya streets, close to the Town glass and pottery dishes. All the watched the customers or her par- remains. Work is being overseen by 1997, becoming Vitebsk’s tour- by the Chairman of the Union of ist Mecca.” Belarusian Jewish Public Asso- Ms. Khmelnitskaya believes ciations and Communities, Leonid that the restoration of the Brozi Levin, who is also an Honoured Hotel will attract an even greater Architect of Belarus. He notes that number of tourists to the city. the project is worth about $200m. Meanwhile, the restoration of Th e area is to be dedicated to the former People’s Art College has the memory of Chagall’s life and begun at 5 Gazeta Pravda Street. creativity, developing avant-garde Headed by Chagall in 1919, it at- art and architecture; it will certain- tracted Kazimir Malevich, Mstis- ly become an attraction for the city. lav Dobuzhinsky and other avant- Hotels and restaurants are to be garde masters from Moscow and built, with the project realised in Petrograd, who lectured there. three stages. Initially, Pokrovskaya Some time later, Kazimir Malevich Street is to be restored in the spirit established a UNOVIS (Affi rma- of the early 20th century, with sou- tion of New Art) Group at the venir shops and a small hotel rising College. In April 1924, the College near the Marc Chagall House-Mu- was renamed as the Belarusian Art seum. Th e second and third stages School, becoming the country’s envisage the opening of shops, a higher educational establishment café and a Modern Arts Centre — for the arts (until the Th eatre and featuring an exhibition hall and an Art Institute — now known as the artistic school. Mr. Levin notes that Belarusian State Arts Academy this major project will also honour — was established in Minsk aft er the memory of other prominent the war).

BELTA painters connected with Vitebsk: At present, Vitebsk College’s Vitebsk museum dedicated to the globally famous painter is among the most visited attractions Kazimir Malevich and Yudel Pen. buildings belong to the Centre of Hall and a stone bridge over the fi ndings are to be sent to the Marc ents. Bella described the shop in the At present, the house-museum Contemporary Art Museum. Its Vitba River. Th e house was deco- Chagall Museum, showing visitors following way: ‘Two big gas lamps and the surrounding territory are Director, Andrey Dukhovnikov, rated with arched windows on its how Vitebsk residents lived in the burn under the ceiling; they’re so specially protected historical sites plans to join Ms. Khmelnitskaya fi rst fl oor and had an open gallery past.” loud that you might think they’re in Vitebsk. Happily, no multi-storey in inviting Moscow specialists to with open-lattice metalwork. We Lyudmila Khmelnitskaya, the groaning in pain. Th e fl ames sput- buildings were built in Pokrovskaya Vitebsk, to discuss how best to know that the hotel housed a fi rst Marc Chagall Museum’s Director, ter beneath the small iron net-like Street in the 20th century. Actually, restore this unique building in au- class restaurant, off ering Russian learnt about Bella Rosenfeld’s life lamp-shades, which are hardly Chagall’s small one storey brick thentic style. Workshops for young and French cuisine, in addition to a from her book of recollections, able to stop hissing sparks. In the house survived by a miracle. In the artists are also due to open there.