Marc Chagall (Russian, 1887-1985)

A selection of stunning original lithographs by Marc Chagall. Published in an unsigned edition of c. 2,500, these sought-after typical subjects include lovers, flowers and the circus and present an affordable opportunity of acquiring an original print by a great master (each is recognised as an original print and is recorded in the Catalogue Raisonné of Chagall's graphic work). Signed editions of the same series were also made, the only difference between the two being, signature and price, see: Millers Collecting Prints, 1998: 86, illustrating l'autoportrait, 1960. The lithographs were printed in Paris by Master printers Mourlot Frères on wove paper. All are in excellent condition and within acid-free mounts.

They can be ordered framed in pale beech wood or silver/ bronze or pale gold custom made frames.

Lithography: Lithographic plates are made from slabs of limestone or sheets of zinc or aluminium and utilises the antipathy between grease and water. The image is drawn onto the plate with chalk or ink. This is then treated with chemicals to fix the grease content onto the plate. One plate is required for each colour printed. Colour is then applied to the plate and adheres only to the greasy image, being repelled by the damp areas.Lithographs show brush marks and textures comparable with drawings and paintings and in general use a wide range of colour. Between the wars, Paris was the international centre of the art world and by consequence printmaking flourished there. The majority of artists working in Paris made prints and found it stimulating. Much of the print activity of artists such as Chagall, Picasso, Miro, Matisse and Braque is associated with famous dealers and publishers like Ambroise Vollard and Daniel Kahnweiler who financed most printmaking of the artists they represented. Studios devoted to making prints, such as that of Mourlot were extremely influential and produced lithographs and etchings of a technical excellence that remains unsurpassed today. Lithographs printed in Paris by fine master lithographers such as Mourlot were produced under the direction of the artists and only in limited numbers. The stones were ground down or drilled through once the edition was complete, making later editions impossible.