Marc Chagall (1887–1985) was a Russian-born French artist whose work occupies a distinctive position within twentieth-century modernism. Drawing on Jewish tradition, biblical narrative, folklore, and personal memory, he developed a poetic visual language characterised by intense colour, floating figures, and symbolic imagery. Although active across painting, printmaking, ceramics, tapestry, and stage design, Chagall is particularly celebrated for his stained-glass windows, which form one of the most significant modern contributions to the medium.

Chagall began producing stained glass in the early 1950s, working closely with master glassmakers to translate his painterly vision into light and colour. His windows were commissioned for a wide range of settings, including churches, synagogues, and civic buildings, notably in France but also internationally. Rather than imitating medieval stylistic conventions, Chagall approached stained glass as a vehicle for expressive colour and narrative symbolism, reinterpreting biblical themes in a modern, personal idiom.

Biblical subjects occupy a central place in Chagall’s art, particularly scenes from the Old Testament, which he treated not as historical reconstructions but as timeless spiritual narratives. Figures such as David ⓘ, Moses, Abraham ⓘ, and the prophets recur throughout his work, often depicted in dream-like compositions that blur distinctions between past and present, sacred and personal. In Christian contexts, his windows frequently emphasise shared scriptural heritage rather than doctrinal specificity.

Chagall’s stained glass represents a rare synthesis of modern art and a medieval medium, demonstrating how contemporary artistic language could be integrated into historic architectural settings without sacrificing expressive freedom. His work played a crucial role in the twentieth-century revival of stained glass as a living art form and remains central to discussions of modern sacred art.