The Jerusalem Windows

Authors: Marc Chagall and Jean Leymarie

First line: Great works of art defy limitations of time and place, but sometimes strange combinations are required to produce such art.

Why you should read this book: Chagall's twelve stained glass windows, commissioned in 1959 for the shul of Jerusalem's Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, represent a groundbreaking fusion of ancient and modern. Working with biblical themes and twentieth-century techniques, he created twelve dazzling windows, one to commemorate each tribe of Israel. This book reproduces each gorgeous panel, as well as all of Chagall's preliminary work, bringing together five drafts for every finished window, so readers can follow the development of the artist's idea from conception to completion.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're color-blind.