Marc Chagall, Chloe from Daphnis & Chloe, 1960

Artist: Marc Chagall (1887 - 1985)
Title:Chloe from Daphnis & Chloe, 1960
Reference:M. 339
Series:Daphnis and Chloe Series
Medium:Original Color Lithograph on Arches Wove Paper
Image Size:16 7/10 in x 12 7/10 in (42.5 cm x 32.3 cm)
Sheet Size:21 3/10 in x 14 9/10 in (54 cm x 37.8 cm)
Framed Size:33 1/4 in x 28 1/4 in (84.5 cm x 71.8 cm)
Edition:Numbered 46/60 in pencil in the lower left margin.
Signature:This work is hand-signed by Marc Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887 - Saint-Paul, 1985) in pencil in the lower right margin.
Condition:This work is in excellent condition with bright colors throughout.
ID #w-3930

Historical Description

Considered by Fernand Mourlot to be one of "the most important graphic works that Marc Chagall has created thus far," this piece is one of the stunning lithographs within the illustrated work of Daphnis & Chloe. Chagall dedicated 3 years to this project and undertook a series of lithographs that perhaps defined his career, making these pieces "a work of notable importance which, unquestionably, can be placed at the top of the list of illustrated works of our time" (Mourlot 131). Daphnis and Chloe, the two romantic heroes of Greek writer, Longus, are two childhood friends who undergo the trials and tribulations of growing up and, consequently, falling in love.

In this color lithograph, Chagall focuses solely on Chole in a dreamy country setting. Utilizing dreamlike imagery and vibrant colors, the sun is high in the sky as Chloe seems to lie in a green field surrounded by trees and pink flowers. Perhaps lost in a dream, Chloe seems at perfect harmony with the world around her, a testament to the masterful skills of Chagall.

Created in 1960, Chloe is one of 42 lithographs contained in the illustrated book, Daphnis and Chloe, printed by Tériade Éditeur, Paris. Hand-signed by Marc Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887 - Saint-Paul, 1985) in pencil in the lower right, the piece is printed on Arches wove paper and numbered 46/60 in pencil in the lower left (there is also an unsigned edition without margins).

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
This work is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Cramer, Patrick. Marc Chagall, The Illustrated Books: Catalogue Raisonnè, Geneva, 1995. Listed as as cat. no. 46 on pg. 154, illustrated on pg 160.

2. Gauss, Ulrike, ed. Marc Chagall: The Lithographs, La Collection Sorlier, Stuttgart, 1960. Listed as catalogue raisonné no. 339 on pg.138, and illustrated on pg. 169.

3. Sorlier, C. (1984). Chagall Lithographs, Vol. II 1957-1962. Crown Publishers: NY. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no 339 on pgs. 154-155, with details on pg. 131.

4. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:
This work is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, presented in a complementary moulding and finished with linen-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.