Marc Chagall

Mr & Mrs Blunden
The Hanover Gallery, London
Private Collection, UK (acquired from the above circa the 1960s or 70s)
By descent from the above to the family of the present owners

Marseille, Musée des Beaux-Arts

Charles Sorlier (ed.), Les céramiques et sculptures de Chagall, Monaco, 1972, no. 125, illustrated p. 145
Sylvie Forestier & Meret Meyer, Les Céramiques de Chagall, Paris, 1990, no. 159, illustration of Chagall holding the present work p. 17 (see fig. 1); illustrated fig. 243 (titled Nu au coq I)


The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by the Comité Chagall.

There is a small area of rubbing to the surface of the glaze on the reverse of the upper rim. There is some light craquelure, inherent to the firing process. This work is in very good original condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue although the colours are richer in the original.
"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."

The present work is an exceptionally mystical depiction which brings together some of Marc Chagall's most celebrated motifs of animal and nude suspended in a dreamlike skyscape. The title Reverie perfectly captures the all-pervading ambiance of magic and escapism that the work exudes. There is a wonderful depth to the woman's body which adds to the undulating sensuality of her hourglass figure. In fact the rounded shape of the plate is perfectly suited to the dynamism of Chagall's characteristic circular compositions, which lure the viewer in and around.

The viewer cannot help but be drawn into the scene: an invitation to become the third character in the composition and experience the magic and mystique of the subconscious for himself. The painting is a visual feast of colour and form as well as being a testament to the fact that 'the themes in Chagall's art are timeless, not confined to a single epoch of history, but reminding man of the continuity of life for generation after generation, since the earliest days of recorded time' (Susan Compton, Chagall, London, 1985, p. 14).

Meeting Aimé Maeght and moving to Vence in 1948 were both key factors in opening Chagall's eyes to the creative potential offered by ceramics. Remarking upon his love for working in clay, the artist once described his ceramics as 'the result of my life in the south of France, where one feels so strongly the significance of this craft. The very earth on which I walk is so luminous. It looks at me tenderly, as if it were calling me [...] I have wanted to use this earth like the old artisans, and to avoid accidental decoration by staying within the limits of ceramics, breathing into it the echo of an art which is near, and at the same time distant' (quoted in Forestier & Meyer, op. cit., p. 27).