In 1910, a patron sponsored Chagall's move to Paris; and, in 1911, he moved to a studio in "La Ruche" (The Beehive), an artist's group in the Vaugirard district. There he was introduced to many figures that were prominent in the Parisian avant-garde such as poets Blaise Cendras and Guillaume Apollinaire, as well as artists Chaim Soutine, Fernand Leger and Robert Delaunay. His work during this time changed apropos to these environs. Before Paris, his style was rooted in realism, but his new works reflected an interest in Fauvism and Cubism. Works such as I and The Village and The Poet (both from 1910) show an experimental approach to his standard iconography of images taken from Jewish celebrations and childhood memories, as well as images of his soon-to-be wife, Bella Rosenfeld.
Chagall lived in Paris until 1914, at which time he returned to Vitsyebsk; and he soon divided his time between Vitsyebsk, Petrograd and Moscow. His painting style changed even more during these years, and he tempered his avant-garde work with more personal work. Chagall was recommended for the post of director of the plastic arts department at the Ministry of Culture in Moscow, but he preferred to work as the Commissar of Fine Arts and the director of the local art school in Vitsyebsk. In 1920, he left his posts to move to Moscow, where he worked as a scenographer and drawing instructor in camps for orphaned children.
In 1922, Chagall left Russia and moved to Berlin, then returned to Paris a year after that. He illustrated books for the art dealer Ambrose Vollard, including an edition of the Bible. He also participated in countless exhibits and traveled extensively. In 1934-1935, he traveled in Spain and was deeply moved by the works of El Greco. Chagall's autobiography, My Life was published in 1931, and a retrospective of his work was held in 1933.
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