MARC CHAGALL
MARC CHAGALL (1887- 1985) is by many standards one of the most successful artists of the twentieth century. Raised in a poor Jewish family in the village of Vitebsk in pre-revolutionary Russia, he forged a unique career in virtually every artistic medium. From his early Cubist paintings to his book illustrations, stage sets, ceramics, stained glass windows, fine art prints, and Marc Chagall tapestry, his haunting, exuberant, poetic images have enjoyed universal appeal.
CHAGALL TAPESTRIES
Chagall first became interested in tapestry when he was commissioned by the State of Israel to create three tapestries for the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament. The Knesset Chagall tapestries were woven at the Gobelins, the “Royal Manufacture” created by Louis XIV. Gobelins tapestries are not available for sale, they are only woven as gifts of state. Chagall, however, was determined to continue working in this medium and sought out Yvette Cauquil-Prince, a master craftswoman who had worked with other important artists including Picasso.
Chagall and Cauquil-Prince discovered themselves to be kindred spirits and collaborated on over thirty tapestries during Chagall’s lifetime. The Chagall family subsequently granted her permission to continue her work in the same spirit and and with the same quality after the artist’s death. Chagall tapestries by Yvette Cauquil-Prince hang in museums throughout the world and were the only authorized Chagall tapestries ever available for sale. We were privileged to work personally with Madame Cauquil-Prince before her own death in 2005.
PRINTS, PAINTINGS & CERAMICS
For many years JANE KAHAN GALLERY has helped collectors purchase top quality Chagall paintings and works on paper. We are known particularly as a source for Chagall graphics and tapestries.
Alexander Kahan was Chagall’s agent for lithographs in North America during the last decades of the artist’s life, and we still maintain a large collections of top quality Chagall prints. Chagall was a true graphic artist who participated in every detail of the creation of his prints. Working with chromiste Charles Sorlier and the master printer Fernand Mourlot, he made over a thousand different limited edition lithographs and numerous etchings for which there is enormous world-wide demand.
Like Picasso, Marc Chagall worked on ceramics. However, no Chagall ceramics were made into editions and they are exceedingly rare. We are privileged to deal in these pieces.
