Monday, February 12, 2024

In a quiet corner of the museum's halls,
Hung a Chagall painting, standing ten feet tall.
"Over Vitebsk," it boldly proclaimed,
A symbol of a homeland and its name.

For years it graced the MoMA's display,
A treasure held tight in the light of day.
A Jewish artist, his vision unveiled,
Capturing his hometown, their lives entwailed.

Yet, beneath its vibrant, colorful guise,
Lurked a darkness, unseen by many eyes.
Once owned by a gallery’s guiding hand,
In Germany it stayed, a Jewish-owned land.

Then came the Nazis, spreading their cruel reign,
The gallery succumbed to their wicked game.
The Chagall was transferred to German hands,
A murky past, shifting like shifting sands.

Yet, the MoMA held it, year after year,
Confident the painting had no need to fear.
But quietly, silently, they changed their tune,
And returned the artwork, beneath the moon.

No public announcement, no fanfare sound,
From the museum's walls, it was unbound.
Back to the heirs, of the German gallery,
An unexpected twist in art's history.

The restitution was not without its price,
A financial agreement had to suffice.
Four million dollars, exchanged in the deal,
To right the wrongs, the pain it would reveal.

And so, the Chagall left its sacred space,
To be sold by the heirs, with a different face.
Twenty-four million dollars it would gain,
But the echoes linger, like a haunting refrain.

A quirky tale of art's tumultuous past,
Leaving questions unanswered, shadows cast.
The MoMA's secret, now brought to the light,
A Chagall returned, after years in sight.