Marc Chagall’s La Caverne des Nymphes (The Nymph’s Cave) from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 is one of the stunning lithographs within the illustrated Daphne and Chloe series that Fernand Mourlot considered to be one of "the most important graphic works that Marc Chagall has created thus far." Chagall dedicated three 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. Evoking the rich Mediterranean landscapes from which Chagall personally drew inspiration, this work is a masterpiece any Chagall enthusiast would admire.

Marc Chagall’s La Caverne des Nymphes (The Nymph’s Cave) from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 illustrates the first time that Chloe washes her body in front of Daphnis, which awakens pangs of desire previously unknown to the young lad. The two pale bodies of Daphnis and Chloe are positioned against a watery blue landscape and encircled by a darker blue outline that sections them off from the right side of the composition. In the lower left corner, a small patch of white indicates the reflection of water and echoes the pallor of the two figures above and below it. Chloe stands over the pool of water with her arms raised above her head, while Daphnis reclines on the foreground looking up at her sensual form. Marc Chagall’s La Caverne des Nymphes (The Nymph’s Cave) from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 attests to Chagall’s exceptional interpretation of visual narratives. This scene of romantic foreplay from Daphnis et Chloé conveys the implied attraction between two youthful adolescents against a dreamlike rendition of the Mediterranean landscape.

Created in 1961, Marc Chagall’s La Caverne des Nymphes (The Nymph’s Cave) from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 is a color lithograph on Arches paper. This work is hand-signed by Marc Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887 - Saint-Paul, 1985) in the lower right margin. Numbered from edition of 60 in the lower left margin.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Marc Chagall’s La Caverne des Nymphes (The Nymph’s Cave) from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 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 sale of the work).

1. Gauss, Ulrike. Marc Chagall: The Lithographs. The Sorlier collection. Edited by Ulrike Gauss et. al. New York: Distributed Art Publishers., Inc., 1999. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 321.
2. Mourlot, Fernand. The Lithographs of Chagall, vol. II 1957-1962. Monté Carlo, 1960. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 321.
3. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:

Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Marc Chagall’s La Caverne des Nymphes (The Nymph’s Cave) from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.