Chagall's embrace of color and and symbolism is manifested as a fluid expression of bliss in this stunning Murano glass vase sculpture. While the body of this elegant vase is composed of transparent glass, the dominant details are applied on the exterior of the surface in iridescent hues of pale sky blue. Expressive line-work gives life to Chagall's dreamy characters; a man stands upon a horse, the pair floating in the artist's unique surreal world. The whimsical scene all the while takes place upon the hand blown glass landscape of the sculpture, utilizing the form to its utmost potential. Chagall's free-flowing and organic imagery glides around the curves of the voluminous vase which elegantly narrows at the neck. Green vines wind around the sculpture, providing a visual and narrative thread that ties the composition together; man, animal, and nature all in harmony. Finally, atmospheric splashes of purple add Chagall's signature sense of enchantment to this mesmerizing work.
Chagall was one of the first artists’ to work collaboratively with Egigio Costantinti at the Fucina Degli Angeli. The Fucina Degli Angeli is known for their beautiful hand blown glass and collaborations with notable Modern artists. During the early 1950s, under the funding and encouragement of Peggy Guggenhein, renowned patron of the arts, Egidio Constantini, and the other master glass artisans of the Fucina Degli Angeli introduced the great artists of the time to the wondrous possibilities of Murano glass. The Maestros at the glass studio, Egidio Costantini's Fucina Degli Angeli, worked alongside Chagall and Picasso to realize their designs.
Created in c. 1955-1963 in the Fucina degli Angeli in Venice, Italy, this Murano glass sculpture was realized by master glass artist Egidio
Costantini (Brindisi, 1912- Venice, 1998) in collaboration with Marc Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887 - Saint-Paul, 1985). Numbered 5/10, this glass sculpture is inscribed on the underside ‘M. Chagall E. Costantini, Fucina Angeli- VE 5/10 PA’.
Provenance:
Egidio Costantini, Fucina degli Angeli, Venice, Italy
Private Collection, Merzig, Germany
Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
1. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.
