Jongleurin

Article description

Original color lithograph by Marc Chagall. Edition of 5,000, unsigned and unnumbered, from Chagall Lithographe / Catalogue Raisonné, Vol. I (1922–1957), 1960. Published by André Sauret, Monte Carlo, 1960. Printed by Mourlot and Draeger, Paris. Sheet: 320 by 240mm (12 by 9 inches). A joyful original Chagall circus print, full of the luminous color and fantasy his work is loved for. Marc Chagall (7 July 1887 – 28 March 1985) was one of the most celebrated and beloved artists of the 20th century. Born Marc Zakharovich Shagal in Vitebsk, Belarus (then part of the Russian Empire), he trained in Saint Petersburg before moving to Paris in 1910, where he became part of the vibrant avant-garde of Montparnasse. Drawing on Jewish folk tradition, Russian culture, and the imagery of his Belarusian childhood, Chagall developed a uniquely dreamlike visual language infused with lovers floating above villages, fiddlers on rooftops, animals, angels, and mystical biblical scenes. Associated with Fauvism, Cubism, and Surrealism—yet belonging to none—he was the quintessential 'School of Paris' master. His monumental stained-glass windows, ceiling paintings (including the Paris Opéra), and tapestries brought his vision to public spaces worldwide. Chagall's work is held at MoMA in New York, the Tate in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Guggenheim, and the Musée National Marc Chagall in Nice—inaugurated in 1973 and dedicated to his biblical message cycle. He remains one of the most sought-after names in 20th-century prints, with original lithographs consistently coveted by collectors worldwide. 'Chagall Lithographe' (Volume I, 1960), published by André Sauret in Monte Carlo with text by Julien Cain, is the first volume of the catalogue raisonné of Chagall's lithographic work, covering prints from 1922 to 1957. The volume contains 24 original color lithographs printed by Mourlot and Draeger in Paris. A landmark publication in the history of Chagall's graphic art, it documents his early mastery of lithography and includes some of his most celebrated compositional themes—lovers, musicians, the Jewish world of his childhood. This original color lithograph (sheet: 320 by 240mm (12 by 9 inches)) depicts 'Jongleurin'. Published in 1960 Edition of 5,000, by André Sauret, Monte Carlo, this work is a fine example of Chagall's graphic production of the period, printed at the celebrated Mourlot studio in Paris under the direct supervision of Fernand Mourlot. Each color was applied from a separate lithographic stone, resulting in the luminous, layered palette that makes Chagall's prints instantly recognizable. The circus was one of Chagall's most enduring obsessions, a metaphor for the artist's own world of dreamlike fantasy and poetic escape. His circus lithographs—with their acrobats, clowns, and performers floating against vivid color fields—are among the most joyful and decorative of all his prints, perennially popular with collectors. In very good condition consistent with age (published 1960). Colors well-preserved and vivid. No tears or significant foxing.

Marc Chagall – Jongleurin · Original Color Lithograph · Edition of 5,000 · André Sauret, Paris · 1960

Mourlot 290