Paradise (Paradis), 1960: Marc Chagall
A World Imagined: Original Prints & Ceramics by Picasso, Chagall, Miró & Braque
Marc Chagall, Paradise (Paradis), 1960, original colour lithograph depicting Adam and Eve beneath the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden, with vibrant green foliage and and rich colours.
Marc Chagall (1887–1985)
Paradise (Paradis), 1960 (also known as Paradise I and Paradise with the Tree of Knowledge)
Original colour lithograph on wove paper
Published by Éditions de la Revue Verve (Vol. X, Nos. 37–38), Tériade, Paris
Printed by Mourlot, Paris (1960)
Catalogue raisonné: Mourlot 232 recto; Mourlot 255 verso
Also known as Paradise I and Paradise with the Tree of Knowledge. Fernand Mourlot records the work under the French title Paradis.
Created in 1960 for Dessins pour La Bible, the double issue (Vol. X, Nos. 37–38) of Verve, published by Tériade in Paris, Paradise belongs to Chagall's important series of original lithographs inspired by biblical subjects. Printed by Mourlot during the artist's lifetime, it forms part of one of Chagall's most admired achievements in printmaking.
The composition depicts Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, reclining beneath the Tree of Knowledge. Rather than presenting the biblical narrative as a dramatic moment of judgement, Chagall creates a scene of stillness and quiet atmosphere. A crescent moon appears in the upper left, while a winged figure occupies the upper right, details that reflect the dreamlike imagery often found in Chagall’s biblical works.
Throughout his career, Chagall returned repeatedly to biblical themes, drawing on his Jewish heritage, memory and imagination. Speaking of the Bible, he described it as “the greatest source of poetry of all time” and sought in his biblical works to convey “a certain peace, a certain spirituality, a religious atmosphere, a feeling for life.”
As issued, the sheet carries a second original monochrome lithograph on the reverse, catalogued as Mourlot 255. This is an intentional feature of the Verve publication, not a later addition, and forms part of the work’s original production history.
Reference: Fernand Mourlot, Chagall Lithographe II: 1957–1962, Mourlot 232 recto; Mourlot 255 verso.
Framed with Conservation Mat, Acid-free Foamboard and UV70 Art Glass
Size 45.5cm x 54.5cm (Framed)
$4,500