CHAGALL, Marc, Romeo and Juliet, 1964
Marc Chagall was born July 7, 1887, in Vitebsk, Russia. From 1907 to 1910, he studied in Saint Petersburg, at the Imperial Society for the Protecti… [Read biography »]
Signed Marc Chagall (1887 - 1985), Original Color Lithograph, Romeo and Juliet, 1964  |
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| Artist: | Chagall, Marc (1887 - 1985) |
|---|---|
| Title: | Romeo and Juliet, 1964 |
| Medium: | Original Color Lithograph |
| Image Size: | 40 in x 26 in (101 cm x 65 cm) |
| Sheet Size: | 40 1/8 in x 24 3/4 in (101.93 cm x 62.87 cm) |
| Framed Size: | approx. 60 in x 40 in (152.4 cm x 101.6 cm) |
| Signed: | Hand signed by Marc Chagall (1887 - 1985) in pencil in the lower right |
| Edition: | Numbered 144/200 in pencil in the lower right; Charles Sorlier publisher's stamp featured in the lower left: 'D'Après Marc Chagall - Ch. Sorlier Grav.' |
| Condition: | This work is in excellent condition offering intense pastel-like hues of green, pink, red, blue, yellow and maroon. All colors are bright and fresh; a bold impression |
| Price: | $SOLD Please visit the rest of our CHAGALL inventory » |
| Description: | |
Layering images of the Parisian landscapes (Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde) Chagall creates an extremely romantic and iconic work with Romeo and Juliet. Created in 1964, this work was adapted by Charles Sorlier from a preliminary study created by Chagall for the new ceiling of the Opera Garnier in Paris. This particular image was intended as a tribute to Berlioz for his rendition of ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ Hand signed by Marc Chagall (1887-1985) in pencil and numbered 144/200 in pencil in the lower right. Printed on Arches wove paper, this work was published by Charles Sorlier Graveur, Paris. This image is particularly remarkable due to its impressive size and superb color quality. Combining images of Paris, the figures of Romeo and Juliet and signature elements such as the horse and bouquet of flowers, Chagall captures a sense of romance and history. The great monuments of Paris function as a backdrop for the timeless love of Romeo and Juliet how appear floating through the sky. The lovers appear again encircled by the light of the moon in the upper right-hand corner, possibly symbolizing their eternal unity and undying love. Excerpt from Charles Sorlier’s Chagall’s Posters, Catalogue Raisonne: “The decoration for the ceiling of the Paris Opera by Chagall was commissioned by André Malraux, then the Cabinet Minister in charge of the Cultural Affairs. The artist hesitated for a long time before finally accepting the assignment. When he went to work, he started by executing a number of small sketches before he created two large dummies, which he submitted to André Malraux so that he could select one. Thus once again Chagall demonstrated the humility and integrity which were characteristic of the man and a hallmark of all the work which he undertook…. Chagall worked from January to July, 1964, to complete this painting. The opening ceremony for the new ceiling of the Opera was arranged under the supervision of André Malraux and took place on the evening of September 23, 1964. The entire corps de ballet participated in the event and there was a performance of Daphnis and Chloe by Maurice Ravel, with sets and costumes by Marc Chagall. To the strains Jupiter Symphony of Mozart the ceiling was illuminated for the first time, revealing this exceptional work to the admirers of the Master. It should be noted that this masterpiece was a gift from Chagall to Paris and that he accepted absolutely no compensation for the titanic task” (p. 96) . Catalogue Raisonné & COA: 1. Sorlier, C. (1975) . Chagall’s Posters: A Catalogue Raisonne. Crown Publishers, Inc.: New York. Listed and illustrated on pgs. 96-97. 2. Sorlier, C. (1984) . Chagall Lithographs, vol. V 1974 – 1979. Crown Publishers, Inc.: New York. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. CS10 on pg. 199. About the Framing: | |
| Style: | Modern Master |
Biography of Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall was born July 7, 1887, in Vitebsk, Russia. From 1907 to 1910, he studied in Saint Petersburg, at the Imperial Society for the Protection of the Arts and later with Léon Bakst. In 1910, he moved to Paris, where he associated with Guillaume Apollinaire and Robert Delaunay and encountered Fauvism and Cubism. He participated in the Salon des Indépendants and the Salon d'Automne in 1912. His first solo show was held in 1914 at Der Sturm gallery in Berlin.
Chagall visited Russia in 1914, and was prevented from returning to Paris by the outbreak of war. He settled in Vitebsk, where he was appointed Commissar for Art in 1918. He founded the Vitebsk Popular Art School and directed it until disagreements with the Suprematists resulted in his resignation in 1920. He moved to Moscow and executed his first stage designs for the State Jewish Chamber Theater there. After a sojourn in Berlin, Chagall returned to Paris in 1923 and met Ambroise Vollard. His first retrospective took place in 1924 at the Galerie Barbazanges-Hodebert, Paris. During the 1930s, he traveled to Palestine, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, and Italy. In 1933, the Kunsthalle Basel held a major retrospective of his work.
During World War II, Chagall fled to the United States. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, gave him a retrospective in 1946. He settled permanently in France in 1948 and exhibited in Paris, Amsterdam, and London. During 1951, he visited Israel and executed his first sculptures. The following year, the artist traveled in Greece and Italy. During the 1960s, Chagall continued to travel widely, often in association with large-scale commissions he received. Among these were windows for the synagogue of the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, installed in 1962; a ceiling for the Paris Opéra, installed in 1964; a window for the United Nations building, New York, installed in 1964; murals for the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, installed in 1967; and windows for the cathedral in Metz, France, installed in 1968. An exhibition of the artist's work from 1967 to 1977 was held at the Musée du Louvre, Paris, in 1977-78, and a major retrospective was held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1985. Chagall died March 28, 1985, in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France.
