Marc Chagall (1887-1985) painted his way across many art periods. His paintings done in bright colors of expressionism, surrealism, modernism often were narratives of Hebrew scripture and of the love in his life. In his seventies, he took up a new medium, stained glass. The Window of Peace and Human Happiness was commissioned as a memorial to Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1953 until his death in a plane crash in 1961. It is called an artistic tribute to the principles upon which the United Nations stands.

Chagall used his signature intense color in this large and complex work. It measures 12’ x 15’.  On this “split screen”, Chagall shows us two sides of the Tree of Life. On the left, we see a time of happiness and freedom, literally free-floating happiness and freedom! On the right, we see the restriction and despair of hatred. At the dividing line, there is an angel sharing a bouquet and the snake of Eden’s Garden rising and pointing right. Chagall used Isaiah 9:1-6 to guide this oppositional work.

The drums of hatred seem to beat incessantly now on all levels of the human experience. May this window remind us of the darkness this unleashes in the world; the freedom and happiness it steals. May we dedicate ourselves to seeing “the great light” and reflecting it to others. May it be so.

In gratitude, faith and hope,

Sandy Prouty  
Minister of Children and Families
Montview Church