Marc Chagall

Les Amoureux en gris (Lovers in grey)

1957

Framed 26 x 22.75 in No. 285 in the Catalogue Raisonne of Chagall's lithographs This lithograph came from "The Lithographs of Chagall: Volume I" by Fernand Mourlot and Marc Chagal...

Framed 24 x 21 in No. 400 in the Catalogue Raisonne of Chagall's lithographs This lithograph came from "The Lithographs of Chagall: Volume II" by Fernand Mourlot and Marc Chagall....

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Les Amoureux au Gris (The Lovers in Gray), from the album Chagall, originates from the 1957 edition published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1957. This intimate and poetic composition reveals Chagall’s enduring fascination with love as both a personal and universal theme. Les Amoureux au Gris presents two lovers tenderly united against a soft, monochromatic background, their forms gently intertwined in a suspended moment of emotion and serenity. The subdued palette of grays enhances the dreamlike atmosphere, evoking nostalgia and the quiet beauty of devotion. Through its delicate tonal harmonies and lyrical symbolism, the work exemplifies Chagall’s belief that love transcends time, space, and circumstance—a central tenet that defines his artistic legacy. Executed as a lithograph on velin paper, this work measures 9.06 x 7.875 inches (23.01 x 20 cm). Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition reflects the extraordinary craftsmanship of the Mourlot Freres atelier, renowned for its close collaboration with Chagall and for achieving unmatched brilliance and subtlety in color lithography. Artwork Details: Artist: Marc Chagall (1887–1985) Title: Les Amoureux au Gris (The Lovers in Gray), from Chagall, 1957 Medium: Lithograph on velin paper Dimensions: 9.06 x 7.875 inches (23.01 x 20 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1957 Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Catalogue raisonne references: Chagall, Marc, and Julien Cain. Chagall Lithographe. Andre Sauret, Editeur, 1960, illustration 194. Cramer, Patrick, and Meret Meyer. Marc Chagall: Catalogue Raisonne Des Livres Illustres. P. Cramer ed., 1995, illustration 34. Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the album Chagall, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, 1957 Notes: Excerpted from the album (translated from French), This album was printed by Drager Freres in Montrouge on behalf of Maeght Editeur, 13, Rue de Teheran, Paris VIII. The original color lithographs were drawn by Mourlot Freres. The photographs of the works printed are of Y. Hervochon, M. Routhier, Draeger. Copyright 1957. About the Publication: The 1957 album Chagall, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, stands among the most celebrated collaborations between Marc Chagall and the great Parisian ateliers of the mid-20th century. The album features a series of color lithographs that capture Chagall’s poetic world of memory, faith, and love through luminous tones and expressive line. Each lithograph embodies the artist’s mastery of the medium, where the transparency of pigment and fluidity of form fuse into a language of visual music. Guided by the technical expertise of Mourlot Freres, these works convey Chagall’s painterly spontaneity and emotional depth with remarkable fidelity. The Maeght album remains a touchstone in modern printmaking, symbolizing the creative dialogue between artist, publisher, and master printer that defined the golden age of the French art book. About the Artist: Marc Chagall (1887–1985) was a Belarus-born French painter, printmaker, and designer whose visionary imagination, radiant color, and deeply poetic symbolism made him one of the most beloved and influential artists of the 20th century. Rooted in the imagery of his Jewish heritage and the memories of his childhood in Vitebsk, Chagall’s art wove together themes of faith, love, folklore, and fantasy with a dreamlike modern sensibility. His unique style—merging elements of Cubism, Fauvism, Expressionism, and Surrealism—defied categorization, transforming ordinary scenes into lyrical meditations on memory and emotion. Influenced by Russian icon painting, medieval religious art, and the modern innovations of artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Georges Braque, Chagall developed a profoundly personal visual language filled with floating figures, vibrant animals, musicians, and lovers that symbolized the transcendent power of imagination and love. During his early years in Paris, he became an integral part of the Ecole de Paris circle, forming friendships with Amedeo Modigliani, Fernand Leger, and Sonia Delaunay, and his creative spirit resonated with that of his peers and successors—Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—artists who, like Chagall, sought to push the boundaries of perception, emotion, and form. Over a prolific career that spanned painting, printmaking, stained glass, ceramics, and stage design, Chagall brought an unparalleled poetic sensibility to modern art, infusing even the most abstract subjects with human warmth and spiritual depth. His works are held in the most prestigious museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Guggenheim, where they continue to inspire generations of artists and collectors. The highest price ever paid for a Marc Chagall artwork is approximately $28.5 million USD, achieved in 2017 at Sotheby’s New York for Les Amoureux (1928). Marc Chagall Les Amoureux...

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Cheval bleu au couple (Blue Horse with Couple), originates from the historic 1982 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, Hommage a Aime et Marguerite Maeght (Tribute to Aime and Marguerite Maeght). Published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, under the direction of Aime Maeght, and printed by Imprimerie Moderne du Lion, Paris, this vibrant composition reflects Chagall’s lyrical fusion of color, dream, and devotion. In Cheval bleu au couple, ethereal figures and a radiant blue horse float within a luminous space of poetic imagination, evoking love, memory, and transcendence. The image captures the artist’s timeless ability to unite fantasy and emotion within the expressive language of modernism. Executed on velin paper, this lithograph measures 15 x 11 inches (38.1 x 27.9 cm). As issued, it is unsigned and unnumbered, consistent with the authorized publication format. The edition exemplifies Chagall’s mastery of color lithography and his lifelong exploration of faith, folklore, and the human spirit. Artwork Details: Artist: Marc Chagall (1887–1985) Title: Cheval bleu au couple (Blue Horse with Couple), from Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, Hommage a Aime et Marguerite Maeght (Tribute to Aime and Marguerite Maeght), 1982 Medium: Lithograph on velin paper Dimensions: 15 x 11 inches (38.1 x 27.9 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued Date: 1982 Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris Printer: Imprimerie Moderne du Lion, Paris Catalogue raisonne references: Chagall, Marc, et al. Chagall Lithographe VI, 1980–1985. Andre Sauret, Editeur, 1986, illustration 993. Cramer, Patrick, and Meret Meyer. Marc Chagall: Catalogue Raisonne Des Livres Illustres. P. Cramer ed., 1995, illustration 113. Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the 1982 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris Notes: Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), This special issue of Derriere le Miroir was designed and defined by Aime Maeght in the fall of 1980. He envisioned its publication as a celebration with which artists and writers published since 1946 were to be associated. He also chose Francois Chapon, president of the Reverdy Committee, to write the presentation. This Derriere le Miroir number 250 took the form, after its disappearance on September 5, 1981, of a tribute to Aime Maeght and his wife Marguerite Maeght who died four years earlier. 24 artists agreed to create an original graphic work for this issue which includes the general table of all issues as well as excerpts from texts by 32 writers. Finished printing on June 2, 1982 on the presses of the l'Imprimerie moderne du Lion in Paris. CL examples were printed on velin d'Arches, numbered from I to CL, and some non-commercial examples constituting the original edition. About the Publication: Derriere le Miroir (translated as "Behind the Mirror") was an iconic French art periodical published from 1946 to 1982 by Maeght Editeur, one of the most influential art publishers of the 20th century. Founded by Aime Maeght in Paris, the publication was conceived as a visual and literary collaboration between leading modern artists, poets, and critics. Each issue functioned as both an exhibition catalogue and a work of art in itself—featuring original lithographs printed directly from the artists' stones or plates, alongside essays, poems, and critical commentary. Over the course of 36 years, Derriere le Miroir produced more than 250 issues and showcased an extraordinary roster of artists including Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro, Georges Braque, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, Pierre Bonnard, Alberto Giacometti, Eduardo Chillida, Ellsworth Kelly, Francis Bacon, Paul Rebeyrolle, Claude Garache, Antoni Tapies, Bram van Velde, Pierre Alechinsky, Pol Bury, Shusaku Arakawa, and Gerard Titus-Carmel. Printed in the ateliers of Mourlot, Arte, and Imprimerie Moderne du Lion, the periodical set new standards for quality in color lithography, combining fine art printing with elegant typography and poetic text. Beyond its visual brilliance, Derriere le Miroir also became a cultural chronicle of postwar European modernism. Each issue coincided with exhibitions held at Galerie Maeght, providing a collectible and widely accessible record of groundbreaking shows. Its integration of image, text, and philosophy created a dialogue between art and literature that elevated the modern art book to new aesthetic heights. Today, Derriere le Miroir remains one of the most sought-after and historically significant art publications, prized by collectors and scholars alike for its craftsmanship, influence, and its role in defining the visual language of 20th-century modernism. The Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul-de-Vence continues to honor this legacy through exhibitions and archival preservation of the series, affirming Derriere le Miroir's enduring place in the history of modern art and fine art publishing. About the Artist: Marc Chagall (1887–1985) was a Belarus-born French painter, printmaker, and designer whose visionary use of color and poetic symbolism made him one of the most beloved and influential artists of the 20th century. Rooted in the rich imagery of his Jewish heritage and childhood in Vitebsk, Chagall’s dreamlike compositions fused memory, folklore, faith, and romance with the expressive innovations of modern art. His work evolved alongside and in dialogue with the great modern masters—Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Alexander Calder, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Georges Braque, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—artists who, like Chagall, redefined artistic language for a new century. Spanning painting, printmaking, stained glass, ceramics, stage design, and illustration, Chagall’s career reflected both his deep spirituality and his boundless imagination. His works are held in major museum collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Tate, and the Centre Pompidou. The highest price ever paid for a Marc Chagall artwork is approximately $28.5 million USD, achieved in 2017 at Sotheby’s New York for Les Amoureux (1928). 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