Acquired by the family of the present owner in Paris before 1960

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down, attached to the mount at all four corners. There are artist's pinholes in all four corners. This work is in good original condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present work, executed in 1952-56, presents an array of Chagall's much-loved subjects, including a large bouquet of flowers, a flying goat, a couple with a cockerel and a view of a sailboat under a crescent moon, which all converge into one picture plane to create an ensemble of parallel story lines. The ability to bring a variety of loosely connected elements together in one painting is unique to Chagall, from which he produces views and scenes of a dream-like quality. As the artist himself proclaimed: 'For me a picture is a surface covered with representations of things (objects, animals, human beings) in a certain order in which logic and illustration have no importance. The visual effect of the composition is what is paramount' (quoted in Susan Compton, Chagall, (exhibition catalogue), Royal Academy of Art, London, 1985, p. 21).

Chagall infuses this fantastical scene and haphazard composition with strong bright bursts of colour, creating a vibrant and vivacious atmosphere. The picture is dominated by a large bouquet of red and yellow flowers. The subject of colourful bouquets of flowers fascinated Chagall from the 1920s onwards and was a theme he would continue to explore throughout his artistic career. The artist was first struck by the charm of flowers in Toulon in 1924 as he later claimed that he had not known flowers in Russia. Flowers hence became a representation of France for him. Writing about the subject of flowers in Chagall's work, Franz Meyer commented: 'Many are simple still lifes with a bunch of red roses and white lilacs; in others, pairs of lovers and air-borne fiddlers gambol through space. The atmosphere encompasses and pervades the flowers like a magically light, airy fluid, vibrant with their vitality' (Franz Meyer, Marc Chagall, Life and Work, New York, 1961, p. 369).