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Les boulevards by Marc Chagall
Les boulevards by Marc Chagall
Les boulevards by Marc Chagall
Les boulevards by Marc Chagall
Les boulevards by Marc Chagall
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Les boulevards by Marc Chagall

  • This romantic dreamscape by Chagall features his iconic rooster and the Parisian skyline
  • Its symbolic elements represent the artist himself, along with themes of love, home and joy
  • The composition’s brilliant, textured surface is made with a rare combination of oil and sawdust
  • This work was created during a pivotal personal period in Chagall’s life
  • Get complete item description here
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Item No. 32-0046

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Description
Marc Chagall
1887-1985 | Russian

Les boulevards

Signed and dated "Marc Chagall 1953" (lower right and verso)
Oil and sawdust on canvas

"When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only one who understands what color really is." –Pablo Picasso

A captivating fusion of dreamlike romance and symbolic imagery, Les boulevards is one of Marc Chagall's brilliant masterpieces, epitomizing the artist’s unique ability to blend fantasy with personal emotion. This work captures. . .
Read More
Marc Chagall
1887-1985 | Russian

Les boulevards

Signed and dated "Marc Chagall 1953" (lower right and verso)
Oil and sawdust on canvas

"When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only one who understands what color really is." –Pablo Picasso

A captivating fusion of dreamlike romance and symbolic imagery, Les boulevards is one of Marc Chagall's brilliant masterpieces, epitomizing the artist’s unique ability to blend fantasy with personal emotion. This work captures the modern master at his very best at the height of his global fame, and its grand scale pulls the viewer into Chagall's mesmerizing dream world.

In this enchanting nocturnal scene, the artist's iconic gold-plumed rooster hovers above the sleeping city of Paris, holding the Book of Life in his human hand, a nod to Chagall's Jewish heritage. Wrapped in the brilliant red plumage of the rooster is a pair of lovers in a row boat, another one of the artist's famed motifs. The somnolent moon casts an ethereal glow across the composition infusing it with dreamlike serenity, while an amorphous creature hovers smilingly in the top right corner.

Les boulevards is truly a feast for the senses, with its textured surface combining oil and sawdust to create an almost tangible, luminous atmosphere of mysticism. Chagall’s bold use of color is particularly striking, with the rich blues and greens interspersed with vibrant reds and golds, enhancing the fantastical elements of the piece. The lovers, delicately suspended in the air, convey a sense of eternal love, while the rooster's wide-eyed, knowing gaze represents the Chagall himself, as it so often does across his oeuvre. The intricate layering of textures, along with the blending of figurative and symbolic elements, marks this work as an extraordinary example of Chagall’s mature period, where his mastery of color and form reached new heights. Produced during a pivotal period in Chagall’s life, Les boulevards reflects the artist's triumphant return to Paris after World War II and the joy he found in his new relationship with his second wife, Valentina Brodsky, who he married just a year earlier in 1952. This period of transition and homecoming imbues the painting with contemplative and visual depth.

Marc Chagall was born in Vitebsk, Russia, to a large, close-knit Jewish family of herring merchants. He began studying painting in 1906 under the famed artist Yehuda Pen. In 1907, he moved to St. Petersburg and joined the school of the Society of Art Supporters. In 1910, Chagall relocated to Paris to be near the art community of the Montparnasse district, and he would eventually become a French citizen. Amongst the turmoil of the 20th century, including the Soviet regime and the outbreak of WWII, Chagall would continue to move between Russia, France and the United States throughout his life. Chagall died at the age of 97 in Saint-Paul de Vence, France, in 1985, leaving behind an incredible body of work that is unquestionably one of the most celebrated of the 20th century. His paintings have remained prized highlights in public and private collections alike, with works belonging to important institutions across the globe including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Tate Modern in London and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

This work is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity issued by Meret Meyer, on behalf of the Comité Marc Chagall, dated 26 January 2022 (certificate no. 2022001). 

Painted 1953

Canvas: 45 3/4“ high x 34 7/8” wide (116.21 x 88.58 cm)
Frame: 56 3/4“ high x 46 1/8” wide x 2 3/4“ deep (144.15 x 117.16 x 6.99 cm)

Literature:
Franz Myer, Marc Chagall: Life and Work, New York: Tudor Publishing Co., 1964, p. 760

Exhibited:
Paris, Galerie Maeght, Paris, Marc Chagall, 1954
New York, Acquavella Galleries, Inc, XIX et XX Century Master Paintings, 1984, pp. 38 & 39, no. 18 (illustrated) 

Provenance:
Galerie Maeght, Paris
Anne Burnett Tandy, Fort Worth, Texas
Private collection, United States
Private collection, London
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Les boulevards by Marc Chagall
Maker: Chagall, Marc
Period: 1919-Present
Origin: France
Type: Paintings
Style: Modernism
Depth: 2.5 in. (6.35 cm)
Width: 46.0 in. (116.84 cm)
Height: 57.0 in. (144.78 cm)
Canvas Width: 34.500 in. (87.63 cm)
Canvas Height: 45.250 in. (114.94 cm)
Les boulevards by Marc Chagall
A Survey of French Art: Romanticism to the Modern Age

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Buy with Confidence

At M.S. Rau, we are committed to building a long-term, rewarding relationship with each and every client. That’s why your purchase is backed by our 125% guarantee.

Learn More

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