Lithograph, 1964

Edition : 50/90

Publisher : Maeght (Paris)

Printer : Mourlot (Paris)

Catalog : [Mourlot 412 ; Cramer 409]

77.00 cm. x 56.80 cm. | 30.31 in. x 22.36 in. (paper)

67.20 cm. x 52.00 cm. | 26.46 in. x 20.47 in. (image)

Blue Sky" poster before the letter
BFK Rives paper
Paper slightly yellowed and small tear in top right corner

On the occasion of the Chagall exhibition at the Maeght Gallery
A very beautiful and large original lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887-1985), dated 1964, an important year in the artist's career, as he had just completed the incredible ceiling of the Opéra Garnier in Paris. Here, the blue background, animated by the artist's vivid and nuanced touch, brings lightness and weightlessness to the composition. Two animated beings stand out: a human profile and a bird's head, intimately linked, because for Chagall, humans and animals are part of a whole. The chimerical beings, half-human, half-animal, are scattered throughout his works. The hand, left in reserve, seems to caress the face and hold the flowers that crown the bird. Flowers, one of Chagall's favorite motifs, represent joy and abundance in his work. The bird's head does not face the same direction as the human face, inviting the viewer to tilt their head so they can see the Eiffel Tower "the right way," without which Paris would not quite be Paris. The summery, luminous blue background serves as a backdrop for the representation of the City of Light; Paris was Chagall's beloved city, the one he chose after leaving Belarus, his native country. The towers of Notre-Dame stand out clearly, as does the silhouette of the cathedral's spire, which collapsed during the 2019 fire. The Seine, the lifeblood of Paris, is evoked by its bridges, popular places for walks. At the bottom right, a village is depicted, perhaps that of Vitebsk, in Belarus, where Marc Chagall grew up. A resolutely optimistic and joyful work, which served as a poster for the Chagall exhibition at the Maeght Gallery in Paris, a mythical gallery founded by Aimé Maeght, a friend of the artist. The printer is Fernand Mourlot, passionate about the art of posters.
It is a "tirage avant la lettre," meaning a print before the addition of the informative texts about the exhibition. This type of print is often sought after by collectors. The colors are very fresh.

Certificate of authenticity
Good condition
Handsigned by the artist in pencil

Ref : LCD6548