Marc Chagall’s Le Songe de Daphnis et les Nymphes (Daphnis’ Dream and the Nymphs), 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 Le Songe de Daphnis et les Nymphes (Daphnis’ Dream and the Nymphs), from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 illustrates the moment in Longus’ tale when three beautiful Nymphs appear to Daphnis in a dream after he reproaches them for allowing Chloe to be taken by the Methymneans. The Nymphs tell Daphnis that Chloe will return safely the following day, and upon waking from sleep, Daphnis promises to sacrifice his finest goat to the Nymphs if Chloe should be saved. The entirety of Chagall’s visual interpretation of this scene is rendered in a verdant green so saturated in some areas that it appears to be a darker hue. The absence of a clear groundline and perspectival depth creates a dreamlike landscape, a visual effect that has both characterized and popularized Chagall’s oeuvre. Le Songe de Daphnis et les Nymphes (Daphnis’ Dream and the Nymphs), from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 exemplifies the artist’s masterful manipulation of color to create bold and beautiful images.

Created in 1961, Marc Chagall’s Le Songe de Daphnis et les Nymphes (Daphnis’ Dream and the Nymphs), 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 Le Songe de Daphnis et les Nymphes (Daphnis’ Dream and the Nymphs), 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. 325.
2. Mourlot, Fernand. The Lithographs of Chagall, vol. II 1957-1962. Monté Carlo, 1960. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 325.
3. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:

Framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Marc Chagall’s Le Songe de Daphnis et les Nymphes (Daphnis’ Dream and the Nymphs), from Daphnis et Chloé, 1961 is presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.