Marc Chagall

Cramer, Livres illustrés, n° 68.

The circus theme is one of the most important themes in Chagall’s work. This fascination goes back to his childhood, when he saw a small traveling troupe in Vitebsk execute some clumsy acrobatics in front of an indifferent public: was this sad performance the fate of every artist’s life? Vollard, himself an enthusiast of the circus, encouraged Chagall to develop this theme in his work, but it was Tériade after Vollard’s death, who convinced him to complete his work. Cirque, published with texts by the artist, is probably Chagall’s finest lithographic achievement.

"Cirque is without a doubt, the most personal of all his books, the most exceptional also by the intensity of the lines and colors, but also by the harmony he creates between text and painting, finally by the character itself and the quality of the writing" (Hommage à Tériade, Grand Palais, 1973).