Heliogravure on Velin des Papeteries du Marais paper; 35 x 25 cm in light of 50 x 40 cm passe-partout.
Publisher Verve ( Teriade) in collaboration with Atelier Draeger Freres.
This 1950 special issue of the French art magazine Verve, titled "Contes de Boccace" (Tales of Boccaccio), is an extremely valuable example of Marc Chagall's masterful synthesis of modern art and classical literature.
The Vol VI issue included the author's interpretation of selected passages from Giovanni Boccaccio's famous "Decameron." For this, Chagall created 26 full-page black-and-white lithographs, which are characterized by extraordinary lightness and tonal depth.
These lithographs were created using thelavis technique, meaning that the artist used ink diluted with water, applying it with a brush to achieve soft gradations of gray and dynamic chiaroscuro. These original handmade lavis drawings were then published in using an advanced heliogravure method, which was able to perfectly capture the subtlety and texture of the diluted ink.
Ateleir Draeger Frères was the only one to master the heliogravure technique necessary to faithfully render Chagall's subtle tonal gradations and original ink lavings.
Chagall's modern, dreamlike vision was juxtaposed with historical, colorful illustrations of miniatures from the 15th-century illuminated manuscript "Decameron." The illustrations were partly done in chromolithography.
Verve was a collector's magazine, known for its high-quality original lithographs and heliogravures by famous Artists (Picasso, Matisse. Chagall, Leger, Miro ), its print runs were limited and small, which contributed to its exclusivity and high collector value. This edition is considered one of the most important and beautiful projects in the artist's post-war graphic output, representing a thrilling dialogue between eras and styles.
