(after) Marc Chagall

"Vence, Fetes de Paques" lithograph poster

1959

Medium: lithograph (after the original lithograph poster). During the late 1940's and throughout the 1950's, Marc Chagall created a series of posters at the atelier of Mourlot Freres...

Medium: original lithograph. Catalogue reference: Mourlot 81. Printed in 1952 at the atelier Mourlot for the art revue Verve (Volume 7, Number 27-28) and published in Paris by Teriad...

VENCE CITE DES ARTS ET DES FLEURS (EDITION WITHOUT TEXT - "FETES DE PAQUES") An poster after Marc Chagall, printed by Mourlot Paris. This copy is from the edition without text, pri...

In 1959, Marc Chagall, one of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, created a striking lithographic poster to promote his exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, a branch of the Palais du Louvre in Paris. This poster, like much of Chagall's work, is a dreamlike exploration of color and whimsical imagery, inviting viewers into a world where reality and fantasy blend effortlessly. Chagall’s unmistakable style, with its vivid use of color, ethereal figures, and playful compositions, is fully on display in this piece. The poster, dominated by a striking red background, features an intimate arrangement of black line drawings that depict an array of elements central to Chagall’s thematic universe: the human figure, animals, and symbols of both folklore and the circus. A delicate face, rendered with flowing lines, is paired with a central figure of a child joyously balancing on a horse, a nod to Chagall's fascination with circus life, which he often saw as a metaphor for the artist’s own role in society — balancing the highs and lows of life. The poster’s composition feels almost spontaneous, as if Chagall’s hand sketched these figures in a dreamlike reverie. The flowing lines capture both movement and emotion, while the bold red background evokes passion, intensity, and warmth, which are central to Chagall’s painterly language. His characteristic inclusion of whimsical figures and fantastical creatures contributes to the overall sense of wonder. This exhibition poster is an artwork in its own right. Chagall had a unique relationship with posters and printmaking; he understood the power of these mediums not just as functional tools for advertisement but as an extension of his creative vision. As such, this poster doesn’t merely promote the exhibition—it embodies the playful, imaginative spirit of the works that were on display within the museum’s walls. Chagall’s work often blurred the boundaries between fine art and folk art, drawing from Russian and Jewish traditions, as well as modernist movements. His use of bold color and fantastical imagery placed him in a unique position within the world of modern art, earning him international acclaim. The Musée des Arts Décoratifs exhibition poster...