- 118
Marc Chagall
Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 GBP
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Description
- Marc Chagall
- PENDULE AU CIEL EMBRASÉ
- signed Marc Chagall (lower left)
- oil and brush and ink on canvas
- 69.7 by 30.5cm., 27 3/8 by 12in.
Provenance
Private Collection (acquired by circa 1970)
Thence by descent to the present owner
Thence by descent to the present owner
Exhibited
Aarau, Aargauer Kunsthaus, no. 786 (titled Die Uhr)
Condition
The canvas is not lined. There is a very small spot of retouching just to right of the cockerel's head, visible under UV light. Apart from an area of paint shrinkage in the upper left quadrant (visible in the catalogue illustration), mainly to the clock, which is inherent to the natural drying process of the medium, this work is in good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
The present work is a wonderful example of Chagall's uniquely personal interpretation of imagery from his childhood. Almost certainly depicting the artist's home town of Vitebsk, the present work illustrates the artist's constant invention in both colour and subject. In 1949 Chagall went back to France, where he developed an interest in ceramics, sculpture and stained glass. The uncertainty of the war years had lifted and Chagall had started a new and prolific period in his work. 'Chagall's new sojourn in the south exerted a decisive influence on his art. 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 of years' (Franz Meyer, Marc Chagall, Life and Work, New York, 1963, p. 519).
His numerous works represent characteristically vivid recollections of Russian-Jewish village scenes with a heady combination of folklore and fantasy. In the present work the artist revisits familiar motifs from his earlier works, still infused with nostalgia for his homeland, however, the palette is now daring and bold and he has adapted according to the developments in the art around him. We see a blue townscape under the deep orange sky. The lovers and pendule fly parallel and visually extend the unusually long, thin canvas and thus the composition. The colouring and strange arrangement evokes a fantastical scene and below all these bizarre images the reality of village life goes on. Chagall, as always, draws on a rich artistic experience as a means to express his own very personal reaction to the surrounding environment.
His numerous works represent characteristically vivid recollections of Russian-Jewish village scenes with a heady combination of folklore and fantasy. In the present work the artist revisits familiar motifs from his earlier works, still infused with nostalgia for his homeland, however, the palette is now daring and bold and he has adapted according to the developments in the art around him. We see a blue townscape under the deep orange sky. The lovers and pendule fly parallel and visually extend the unusually long, thin canvas and thus the composition. The colouring and strange arrangement evokes a fantastical scene and below all these bizarre images the reality of village life goes on. Chagall, as always, draws on a rich artistic experience as a means to express his own very personal reaction to the surrounding environment.