Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York (acquired directly from the artist)
Daniel Malingue, Paris
Mr. Jones Bergamin (and sold: Sotheby's, New York, May 18, 1990, lot 440)
The Seibu Department Store, Tokyo
Sale: Christie's, New York, November 9, 1999, lot 354
Irving Galleries, Palm Beach
Acquired from the above

This work is in excellent original condition. The canvas is not lined. A close inspection reveals a very fine line of old frame abrasion along the right part of the upper edge, towards the corner, with associated tiny spots of paint loss. Towards the center of the right edge, a very small spot of the darker red pigment appears to have flaked, exposing the layer of thinner brighter red pigment beneath. There is no evidence of retouching visible under UV light.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Les Amoureux à Paris is a remarkable example of some of Chagall’s most celebrated artistic elements. Dominated by the two vibrant blocks of his signature blue and red, it is a heady celebration of the vitality of romantic love. "That he is a Russian may account for his surprising Byzantine colour," the art historian and curator Katherine Kuh once remarked, "but scarcely explains his indifference to normal laws of gravity" (Katharine Kuh, "The Pleasure of Chagall's Paintings," in Jacob Baal-Teshuva, Chagall: A Retrospective, New York, 1995, p. 149). Here Chagall invites us to share in his extraordinary vision, to step into his distinctive dreamscape, to a world where embracing lovers and goats flying over the Eiffel Tower goes unquestioned. As well as being a delightful depiction of romance between a couple, this work is also evidence of the heartfelt affection he felt for his adopted city Paris, that famous "city of love" whose landmarks feature so frequently in his later work.

Les Amoureux à Paris is a visual feast of color and form as well as being a love letter to his second wife Vava, whom he married in 1952. It is testament to the artist’s sincere and enduring obsession with love as a source of inspiration and to the fact that "the themes in Chagall’s art are timeless, not confined to a single epoch of history, but reminding man of the continuity of life for generation after generation, since the earliest days of recorded time" (Susan Compton, Chagall, London, 1985, p. 14).