Marc Chagall

Tokyo, Odakyu Department Store & travelling, Chagall, 1981, no. XVI
Yamanashi, Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art, Chagall, 1983, no. 36

Marc Chagall (exhibition catalogue), Printemps Department Store, Tokyo, 1984, no. 44, illustrated in colour n.p. (titled Le Comedien du Village)

The canvas is not lined and there appear to be no signs of retouching visible under UV light. This work appears to be in good original condition. Colours: Overall accurate in the printed catalogue, the red sun is slightly warmer in the original. Attractive impasto in the foliage and Arlequin's costume.
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Chagall resided in Saint-Paul-de-Vence from 1950-73 and sought to capture the splendor and luminosity of this town on the Côte d'Azur by experimenting with bold colors and lyrical compositions. According to Chagall's biographer Franz Meyer, '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 years. At Vence he witnessed the daily miracle of growth and blossoming in the mild, strong all-pervading light - an experience in which earth and matter had their place' (F. Meyer, Marc Chagall, London, 1964, p. 519).

By this point in his life, Chagall enjoyed much international success and recognition and was living in the hilly countryside of southern France with his wife Vava. L'arlequin de Saint-Paul is a superb example of Chagall's mastery of colour and composition and represents the artist's tranquil disposition. The vibrancy of the Mediterranean light is reflected in the luminosity of the palette which appears to shimmer under the heat of the sun.