Marc Chagall Untitled Study, 1966, is executed in Chagall’s signature style. Untitled Study is created in a subtle, yet powerful way, allowing its colors to come alive just beneath the various strokes of black. Its inherent symbolism creates a mysterious depth to composition of a pheasant in an everyday, secular scene.

Referencing a still life subject seen in several paintings of the Renaissance and Baroque era, Chagall takes an artistic and modern twist on this symbol of wealth and abundance. This pheasant placed within a table setting accompanied by a vase of flowers, a bottle of wine, and a bowl of fruit is meant to signify an upcoming feast in which a great fowl is presented to all in the dining party. Spectators in the background look on eagerly as having any type of game as part of a meal suggests prosperity and affluence. It is interesting to note that Chagall himself was very poor as a child growing up in late 19th century Russia, therefore this subject matter becomes poignant and personal to him as he grew to appreciate feasts such as the one pictured here with Untitled Study.

Created in 1966, this unique hand-colored watercolor and crayon over lithograph on Arches paper is hand signed by Marc Chagall (Vitebsk, 1887 – Saint-Paul, 1985) in pencil in the lower right margin. A unique proof, hand-colored with watercolor and crayon over lithograph on Arches paper, this work is inscribed ‘Etat’ in pencil in the lower left margin, aside from the 7 signed and numbered proofs of the first state of the subject (black and white state only) on Arches paper; there was also an edition of 50 impressions of the second state of the subject with color lithograph added.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Marc Chagall Untitled Study, 1966, is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoice accompanying the sale of this still life work).

1. Gauss, Ulrike, ed. Marc Chagall: The Lithographs, La Collection Sorlier. The lithograph without hand-coloring listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 441.

2. Mourlot, Fernand. The Lithographs of Chagall vol. III, 1962-1968. The lithograph without hand-coloring listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 441.

3. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.

About the Framing:

Marc Chagall Untitled Study, 1966, is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.