Marc Chagall

Private Collection, United States
Private Collection, London

Very good condition. Not laid down; affixed to board periodically at edges; paper slightly time darkened. A few small areas of thicker medium appear to be flaking; there is an area of raised paper in neck of animal.
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The subject of the circus is a recurring theme throughout Chagall's oeuvre.  It first appeared in Chagall's work in 1927, in a series of gouaches entitled Cirque Vollard, which were inspired by the artist's visits to the Cirque d'Hiver in Paris. The circus and the clown appeared frequently in his paintings, particularly at times fulfilled by personal happiness. The present work was executed circa 1984-85, when Chagall was living in Saint-Paul-de Vence, France with his wife of over thirty years, and enjoyed international acclaim. 

Chagall himself commented on the theme of the circus and clown in his work, "For me a circus is a magic show which appears and disappears like a world. A circus is disturbing, it is profound ... It is a magic word, circus, a timeless game where tears and smiles, the play of arms and legs take the form of great art ... These clowns, bareback riders and acrobats have made themselves at home in my visions. Why? Why am I so touched by their make-up and their grimaces? With them I can move toward new horizons. Lured by their colours and make-up, I dream of painting new psychic distortions ... The circus seems to me like the most tragic show on earth ... I would like to go up to that bareback rider who has just reappeared, smiling; her dress, a bouquet of flowers. I would circle her with my flowered and unflowered years. On my knees, I would tell her wishes and dreams, not of this world" (Marc Chagall, Le Cirque (exhibition catalogue), Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York, 1981).

In Rencontre avec le clown, a jovial mood is achieved through bright, energetic colors and the inclusion of some of Chagall's favorite themes: the circus, farm animals, flowers, and a domestic setting.  The blue coloration in the background imparts a sense of mysticism and is a sharp juxtaposition to the fiery colors surrounding the circus scene.  Chagall focuses his attention on depicting the overall mood of the circus through purely pictorial elements of color and form, achieving a lively and highly colored composition which expresses his timeless game of life, art and masquerade.