Marc Chagall

Estate of the artist 

Private Collection, New York

Private Collection, United States

Tokyo, Mitsukoshi, Ltd., Chagall, 2006, no. 3, illustrated in the catalogue

Excellent condition. Original canvas. The artist appears to have abbreviated some of the picture on the left side. The paint layer is clean. Under UV, there is no evidence of retouching.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Marc Chagall turned to flower painting as expressive evocations of fantasy in their mixture of still-life, narrative motifs, and landscape. Like Matisse, Chagall resided in Saint-Paul-de-Vence from 1950-73 and sought to capture the splendor and luminosity of this town by the Côte d'Azur by experimenting with bold colors and unstructured compositions. According to Chagall's biographer Franz Meyer, "The light, the vegetation, the rhythm of life all contributed to the rise of a more relaxed airy, sensuous style in which the magic of colour dominates more and more with the passing years. At Vence he witnessed the daily miracle of growth and blossoming in the mild, strong all-pervading light - an experience in which earth and matter had their place" (F. Meyer, Marc Chagall, London, 1964, p. 519).

By this point in his life, Chagall enjoyed much international success and recognition and was living in the hilly countryside of southern France with his wife Vava. Bouquets printaniers represents the artist's tranquil disposition and the beauty that he found in his surroundings and offers insight into his personal history. The flowers of the bouquet are magnificently oversized compared with the figures, which conveys to the viewer a sense of abundance and whimsy, while the thickly painted electric red, pink and yellow of the petals gives the work a brilliant energy.