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Welcome to Spaightwood Galleries, Inc.
120 Main Street, Upton MA 01568-6193; 800-809-3343
For more information or to purchase, please call 1-800-809-3343 or email us at spaightwood@gmail.com
You can follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spaightwood-Galleries-Inc/122951564441757
Marc Chagall (Russia, 1887-1985, France) in Black and White
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To think of Chagall at all is to think of his mastery of color both in his paintings and his original etchings and lithographs, but to think of him exclusively as a master of color is to limit him. Chagall made almost 400 etchings in black and white and over 125 black and white lithographs, 24 woodcuts, and a number of linocuts; he also published a number of pieces in periodicals like Verve and Derrière le Miroir and in books containing less than 5 etchings; to spend some time with them is to see something we don't necessarily even think about when we confine ourselves to enjoying his wonderful use of color: his mastery of design, which becomes much easier to see when we are not allowing ourselves to be distracted by the joys of his colors. Chagall's first prints were etchings: 20 for Mein Leben, his autobiography, etched in 1922, published in Berlin in 1923; 96 etched for an edition of Gogol's Dead Souls (click here for examples) commissioned in 1923 by Ambroise Vollard on which Chagall worked in Paris from 1923-1927, printed in 1927, but not published until 1948 (by Teriade), when an additional 11 etchings for the chapter head pieces were etched and printed (click here for all 11); 5 for Marcel Arland's Maternité printed and published in Paris in 1926 (click here for all 5); 16 etchings for Les Sept Péches Capitaux / The Seven Deadly Sins printed and published in Paris in 1926; 100 for an edition of the Fables of La Fontaine (click here for examples) commissioned in 1927 by Ambroise Vollard on which Chagall worked in Paris from 1927-1930, printed in 1930, but not published until 1952 (by Teriade); 105 etchings for an edition of The Bible commissioned in 1930 by Ambroise Vollard (click here for examples) on which Chagall worked from 1930-1939, the first 66 etchings were printed in 1939 and the remaining 39 in 1956, but not published until 1956 (by Teriade); 13 original color lithographs for Four Tales from the Arabian Nights, printed and published in New York in 1948 (Chagall did the black and white stones, hand-colored a model, and the printers made the color stones; 12 lithographs for a special issue of Verve published in 1956 and dedicated to Chagall's Etchings for the Bible; the 12 black and white lithographs were printed on the versos of 17 of the color lithographs for the issue (published by Teriade); 23 lithographs for a special issue of Verve published in 1960 and dedicated to Chagall's Drawings for the Bible; the 23 black and white lithographs were printed on the versos of 24 of the color lithographs for the issue (published by Teriade); 15 black and white lithographs to accompany the 20 color lithographs executed for Cirque (1967; published by Teriade); 24 woodcuts for Poèmes in 1968 (publshed by Cramer, in Switzerland); 5 etchings for Lettre à Marc Chagall (1969); 50 lithographs for an edition of Shakespeare's The Tempest published by André Sauret in Monte Caro in 1975; and 15 etchings for André Malroux's Et sur la Terre. . . (Maeght Editeur, 1977; (click here for examples). We offer some examples below in chronological order.
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Marc Chagall (Russia, 1887-1985, France), Petrouchka retires les bottes / Petrochka removes Tchitchikov's boots (Sorlier 68, Hannover 108). Original etching, 1923-27. 335 impressions signed in the plate + 33 HC. No hand-signed impressions exist from the published edition. Ours is a very rare (if not unique) pencil-signed trial proof labeled "Essai" lower left. After this proof, Chagall added more hatching to Petrochka's chest and hair, Tchitchikov's back and boots, and the area of floor by Petrouchka's foot. There is a full-page ilustration of the final version in Sorlier's Marc Chagall and Ambroise Vollard; with it, one can clearly see the changes Chagall made for the final version. A very crisp and sharp impression. Image size: 277x220mm. Price: $9500.
Click here for more of our 32 fullpage and 11 headpieces etched by Chagall for The Dead Souls.
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Maxime Teliatnikov the Cobbler (Sorlier 59, Hannover 95). Original etching, 1923-27. 335 unsigned impressions + 33 HC. No pencil-signed impressions exist. Illustrated in the 1970 Bibliotheque Nationale show of Chagall's graphics and Passeron, Maitres de la Gravure: Chagall. No hand-signed impressions exist. Image size: 285x212mm. Price: $5000.
Click here for more of our 32 fullpage and 11 headpieces etched by Chagall for The Dead Souls.
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Maternité / Motherhood IV: Couple au lit / Cople in bed (Kornfeld 68, Cramer 5, Sorlier, p. 20). Original etching and drypoint, 1925-1926. 1130 unsigned impressions on various papers; ours is one of 765 on Velin Lamufa de Voiron. Image size: 151x103mm. Price: $2000.
Click here for the other four pieces etched by Chagall for Maternité.
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L'Ivroigne et sa Femme / The drunkard and his wife (H. 179, S. 166). Original etching, 1927-30. 100 pencil signed impressions, 85 hand-colored impressions, and 240 impressions (of which 40 are on japon paper) signed in the plate for The Fables of La Fontaine. The suffering wife is shown with the wings of an angel. Ours is a brilliant impression on japon paper. Remains of old hinges on the reverse. Image size: 296x238mm. Price: $3750.
Click here for more the other etchings (signed, hand-colored, or unsigned) for The Fables of La Fontaine.
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Elie enlevé au ciel / Elijah taken up into Heaven (H. 364, S. 284). Original etching, 1931-1939; printed 1939. 100 signed and numbered hand-colored proofs plus 295 black and white impressions signed in the plate, of which this is one. Illustrated in Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall (1977) and Marc Chagall Druckgraphik (Westfalisches Landesmuseum fur Kunst und Kulturgeschichte Münster, 1985). Image size: 319x244mm. Price: $5000.
Click here for more the other etchings (signed and hand-colored or unsignedand uncolored) for The Bible.
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Vision of Paris: Evening (M. 86). Original lithograph, 1952. 75 signed & numbered + 6000 unsigned impressions. Published in a special issue of the deluxe art review, Verve dedicated to Chagall's vision of Paris. Image size: 353x264mm. Price: $750.
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The Pantheon (M. 95). Original lithograph, 1954. 75 signed and numbered impressions plus 2500 impressions signed in the plate. Published in a special number of the deluxe art review Derriere le Miroir dedicated to Chagall's vision of Paris. Image size: 380x280mm. Price: $850.
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The two profiles (M. 177). Original lithograph, 1957. 90 signed & numbered impressions plus 2500 unsigned impressions published in a special number of Derrière le Miroir dedicated to Chagall. Illustrated in Chagall Discovered From Russian and Private Collections, the catalogue of the 1987 Moscow Chagall Exhibition. Image size: 240x210mm. Price: $700.
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The little angel (M. 179). Original lithograph, 1957. 90 signed & numbered impressions plus 2500 unsigned impressions published in a special number of Derrière le Miroir dedicated to Chagall. Image size: 240x210mm. Price: $700.
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The village (M. 199). Original lithograph, 1957. 90 signed & numbered impressions plus 6000 unsigned proofs impressions for Jacques Lassaigne's Chagall (Maeght Editeur, 1957), from which our impression comes. In this reminiscence Chagall presents his younger self looking out over his Russian village as though casessing it. Image size: 197x200mm. Price: $750.
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Bouquet with hand (M. 207). Original lithograph, 1957. 90 signed & numbered + 6000 unsigned proofs impressions for Jacques Lassaigne's Chagall (Maeght Editeur, 1957), from which our impression comes. The artist/lover stands in front of an easel holding a bouquet of flowers; below his hand, part of a palette is visible. Illustrated in Chagall Discovered From Russian and Private Collections, the catalogue of the 1987 Moscow Chagall Exhibition. Image size: 230x175mm. Price: $700.
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The Offering (M. 291). Original lithograph, 1960. 100 numbered impressions on paper with large margins plus c. 2000 impressions published in Chagall Lithographe I. There were also 100 impressions signed in pen by Chagall and the publisher. Image size: 325x250mm. Price: $850.
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Couple beside tree (M. 292). Original lithograph, 1960. 100 numbered impressions on paper with large margins plus 2000 impressions published in Chagall Lithographe I. There were also 100 impressions signed in pen by Chagall and the publisher. Image size: 325x250mm. Price: $850.
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Couple beside tree (M. 397). Original lithograph, 1963. 40 signed and numbered impressions plus c. 3000 impressions published in Chagall Lithographe II. Image size: 325x250mm. Price: $850.
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Clown in love (M. 394). Original lithograph, 1963. 40 signed and numbered impressions plus c. 3000 impressions published in Chagall Lithographe II. Image size: 325x250mm. Price: $850.
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Itinerant players (M. 395). Original lithograph, 1963. 40 signed and numbered impressions plus c. 3000 impressions published in Chagall Lithographe II. Illustrated in Chagall Discovered, which memorializes the 1987 Moscow exhibition of Chagall's works in Russian public and private collections. Image size: 325x250mm. Price: $750.
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Wandering Musicians (M. 396). Original lithograph, 1963. 40 signed and numbered impressions plus c. 3000 impressions published in Chagall Lithographe II. Illustrated in Chagall Discovered, which memorializes the 1987 Moscow exhibition of Chagall's works in Russian public and private collections. Image size: 325x250mm. Price: $750.
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The Artist in front of his picture. Original lithograph, 1963. 40 signed & numbered + c. 3000 unsigned impressions for Chagall Lithographe Volume II. Illustrated in the 1987 Moscow Chagall Exhibition. Image size: 320x240mm.Price: $750.
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The White Clown (M. 411). Original lithograph, 1964. 75 signed and numbered impressions plus c. 2000 impressions signed in the plate. Published in a special number of the deluxe art review Derriere le Miroir dedicated to Chagall's recent paintings. Image size: 380x280mm. Price: $1000.
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Et sur la terre 5 (Cramer 103, Sorlier, p. 162). Original etching, 1958. 205 unsigned impressions on Rives. Full-page illustration in Passeron. Image size: 313x235mm. Price: $3500.
Click here for more the other etchings (signed and hand-colored or unsignedand uncolored) for Et sur la terre.
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Pour Vava plate 13: David plays for King Saul (Cramer 1992, n.142). Original tampon sec or scratch lithograph, 1984. This late work is part of a love note from Chagall to his wife, Vava (Valentina). Edition: 10 signed and numbered impressions. Chagall coated a stone with black lithographic ink, scatched a drawing into the ink with a sharp-pointed stylus, laid the paper face-down upon the stone and rubbed the reverse until the ink transferred to the paper (see William M. Ivins, Jr. How Prints Look (Boston: Beacon Press, 1958, p. 17). This work was shown in Nice in a celebration of Chagall's long collaboration with Gerald Cramer (see Patrick Cramer, Marc Chagall–Gerald Cramer, Trente ans de travail et d'amitie [Geneve: Galerie patrick Cramer, 1994], p. 35, n. 142). Our impression is a signed artist's proof (epreuve d'artiste). This may be the rarest of all Chagall's prints. Image size: 240x177mm. Price: $12,500.
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Pour Vava / For Vava: The Artist at the Easel (Cramer 1992). Original tampon sec or scratch lithograph, 1984. This late work is part of a love note from Chagall to his wife, Vava (Valentina). Edition: 10 signed and numbered impressions. Chagall coated a stone with black lithographic ink, scatched a drawing into the ink with a sharp-pointed stylus, laid the paper face-down upon the stone and rubbed the reverse until the ink transferred to the paper (see William M. Ivins, Jr. How Prints Look (Boston: Beacon Press, 1958, p. 17). This work was shown in Nice in a celebration of Chagall's long collaboration with Gerald Cramer (see Patrick Cramer, Marc Chagall–Gerald Cramer, Trente ans de travail et d'amitie [Geneve: Galerie patrick Cramer, 1994], p. 35, n. 142). Our impression is a signed artist's proof showing the artist—clearly Chagall—turning away from his easel, where he has just completed a portrait of himself with Vava against the backdrop of Nice. Very rare! Image size: 240x177mm. Price: SOLD.
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Spaightwood Galleries, Inc.
To purchase, call us at 1-800-809-3343 (1-508-529-2511 in Upton MA & vicinity) or send an email to spaightwood@gmail.com.
We accept AmericanExpress, DiscoverCard, MasterCard, and Visa.
We also accept wire transfers and paypal.
For directions and visiting information, please call. We are, of course, always available over the web and by telephone (see above for contact information). Click the following for links to past shows and artists. For a visual tour of the gallery, please click here. For information about Andy Weiner and Sonja Hansard-Weiner, please click here. For a list of special offers currently available, see Specials.
All works are sold with an unconditional guarantee of authenticity (as described in our website listing).
Go back to the top of this page.
Visiting hours: Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday noon to 6:00 pm and other times by arrangement.
Please call to confirm your visit. Browsers and guests are welcome.
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