Louis Camu, Belgium
E.J. van Wisselingh, The Netherlands
Acquired from the above by the family of the present owner in 1971

Brussels, Galerie l'Epoque, Gouaches de Chagall, 1929
Paris, Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, La Fontaine par Chagall, 1930
Brussels, Galerie le Centaure, La Fontaine par Marc Chagall, 1930, no. 181
Hamburg, Kunstverein Hamburg; Munich, Haus der Kunst & Paris, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Chagall, 1959, no. 226, illustrated in the catalogue

Franz Meyer, Marc Chagall, Life and Work, New York, 1961, illustration of the etching no. 534, n.p.
Jean de La Fontaine & Marc Chagall, Marc Chagall, The Fables of La Fontaine, New York, 1997, p. 132

Executed on buff paper, not laid down and attached to the backing board along all four edges. The sheet is time stained. There is a small nick to the centre of the lower edge, not visible when framed, and a small tear (approximately 4mm long) to the lower right corner, away from the signature. There are two small spots of paint shrinkage, one to the purple pigment of the dog's head, and the other to the yellow pigment of the second dog's neck. There are a few fine lines of entirely stable craquelure to an area of thick pigment in the green element in the upper right corner. There are some minor paint losses in places, including to the pink pigment of the background at the centre and a few flecks along the upper part of the left edge. This work is in overall good 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."

Russian-born artist, Marc Chagall, first met Ambroise Vollard, the celebrated twentieth-century art dealer and publisher, in 1923. Shortly after their first encounter, and premised on a strong sense of mutual respect, the two began a close working relationship that would last until the latter’s death in 1939.

Vollard had for some time been championing artists of the avant-garde and had established a reputation for himself as one of the most important figures in the Contemporary Art world; his opinion was considered both crucial and controversial. Vollard’s decision to commission Chagall to illustrate the suite of Fables by Antoine La Fontaine in 1925 for a new publication was mired in contention. Met by staunch conservatives with horror, who opposed the notion of a foreign Jew illustrating an example from high Classical French literature, the decision was escalated to Parliament and discussed in the Chamber of Deputies. In response to the Chamber’s clamouring question ‘why Chagall?’, Vollard explained: ‘Simply because his aesthetic seems to me in a certain sense akin to La Fontaine’s, at once sound and delicate, realistic and fantastic’ (quoted in Franz Meyer, Marc Chagall, Life and Work, New York, 1963, p. 348).

Vollard’s commitment to the cause proved to be inspired; the suite of Chagall’s illustrations for La Fontaine’s Fables today count among some of the most imaginative and lyrical works from the artist’s entire œuvre. The comple✅te set of etchings derived from Chagall’s gouache sketches was finally published in 1952 and is enduringly co꧋nsidered among the greatest print suites of the twentieth century.

The fable depicted in the present work tells the story of a pregnant hound who seeks refuge in the shelter of another dog. When the dog returns to reclaim her home, the hound pleads for more time as her pups are too weak yet to move. The dog complies; however, when she returns in two weeks’ time the hound again refuses to move and this time warns that her pups have grown teeth and they will all have to be forcibly removed if she wants to repossess her home. The ominous tale, cautioning care in whom you trust, belies the artist’s vibrant, romantic palette, an enchanting juxtaposition which perfectly encapsulates the tone of the Fables which purposefully blends themes of ease and levity with cruelty and melancholy. La Lice et la compagne is a testament to Vollard’s unwavering conviction in Chagall, as the Russian artist faithfully evokes in his compositi🔯on the simple power of a cautionary tale.