MARC CHAGALL (1887-1985)
MARC CHAGALL (1887-1985)

LE BONHEUR DES AMOUREUX

Details
MARC CHAGALL (1887-1985)
LE BONHEUR DES AMOUREUX
SIGNED 'MARC CHAGALL' (LOWER LEFT); SIGNED 'MARC CHAGALL' (ON THE REVERSE)
OIL ON CANVAS
18 1/8 X 25 1/2IN. (46 X 64.7CM.)
PAINTED CIRCA 1965
Provenance
GALERIE DE L'ELYSéE, ALEX MAGUY, PARIS
ACQUIRED FROM THE ABOVE BY THE AUNT OF THE PRESENT OWNER CIRCA 1965
Sale room notice
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PHOTO-CERTIFICATE WHICH ACCOMPANIES THIS LOT IS DATED 'SAINT-PAUL, LE 15 MAI 1998', AND NOT AS STATED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Lot Essay

SOLD WITH A PHOTO-CERTIFICATE FROM THE COMITé MARC CHAGALL DATED PARIS, LE 7 MAI 1998.


THE IMAGE OF THE FLYING LOVERS FIRST EMERGED IN CHAGALL'S THE BIRTHDAY, 1915 AND BECAME A SYMBOL FOR HIS UNDYING LOVE FOR HIS WIFE, BELLA. SHE WROTE IN HER MEMOIRS OF THAT FIRST OCCASION: "SUDDENLY YOU LIFT ME FROM THE GROUND; YOU MAKE A LEAP AS IF THE ROOM WERE TOO SMALL. YOU STRETCH UP TO THE CEILING. YOU TURN YOUR HEAD DOWN, YOU TURN YOUR FACE TOWARDS ME AND YOU MURMUR.

I HEAR YOUR VOICE, SOFT AND MELODIOUS. THIS MUSIC, I HEAR IT EVEN IN YOUR EYES; AND IN UNISON, WE BOTH RISE UP ABOVE THE ROOM AND BEGIN TO FLY. WE WANT TO LEAVE THROUGH THE WINDOW. OUTSIDE THE BLUE SKY IS CALLING US. .. WE FLY OVER FIELDS OF FLOWERS, SHUTTERED HOUSES, THE ROOFS, THE YARDS, THE CHURCHES SPREAD OUT BELOW US." (BELLA CHAGALL, LUMIèRES ALLUMéES, PARIS 1974, PP. 258-9)

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