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Learn MoreLes fleurs rouges by Marc Chagall
- Chagall's work is an intoxicating all-over painting rendered in a dizzying array of pinks and reds
- This unique composition centers on a blossoming bouquet of flowers punctuated by a cerulean bloom
- The embracing couple represents the artist and his first wife, Bella Rosenfeld
- Chagall's works in red and pink hues are among the most desirable in his oeuvre
- Get complete item description here
$1,450,000
Item No.
31-8089
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Description
Marc Chagall
1887-1985 | Russian
Les fleurs rouges
Signed “Marc Chagall“ (lower right)
Gouache and pastel on paper
An intoxicating all-over composition rendered in a dizzying array of pink and red hues, Marc Chagall’s Les fleurs rouges is a vibrant masterpiece. As Picasso put it shortly before Henri Matisse’s passing in 1954, “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is.” The veracity of Picasso’s. . .
1887-1985 | Russian
Les fleurs rouges
Signed “Marc Chagall“ (lower right)
Gouache and pastel on paper
An intoxicating all-over composition rendered in a dizzying array of pink and red hues, Marc Chagall’s Les fleurs rouges is a vibrant masterpiece. As Picasso put it shortly before Henri Matisse’s passing in 1954, “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is.” The veracity of Picasso’s. . .
Read more
Marc Chagall
1887-1985 | Russian
Les fleurs rouges
Signed “Marc Chagall“ (lower right)
Gouache and pastel on paper
An intoxicating all-over composition rendered in a dizzying array of pink and red hues, Marc Chagall’s Les fleurs rouges is a vibrant masterpiece. As Picasso put it shortly before Henri Matisse’s passing in 1954, “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is.” The veracity of Picasso’s statement is best exemplified by vibrant works like Les fleurs rouges, a 1950 Chagall gouache that radiates the exuberance and romance of the artist’s celebrated oeuvre.
Chagall’s works in these colorful tones—specifically those rendered in reds and pinks—strongly evoke the passion of love the artist so fervently sought to portray and are among the most desirable of his works for top museums and collectors. This unique composition centers on a blossoming bouquet of flowers punctuated by a bright cerulean bloom. To the right, Chagall renders a proper still life with fruit, and to the left a compelling tableau of an embracing couple. The pair represent the artist and his first wife, Bella Rosenfeld, who tragically passed away in 1944.
While the death of his first wife cast a pall over Chagall’s life and, in turn, his art, the artist’s relocation to the South of France in 1949 began to awaken his soul once more. Chagall began to embrace his role as a colorist, allowing the brilliance of his environment to influence his palette. Thus, our brightly-pigmented pink and red work is a tribute to his beloved Bella and also a signal of his renewed dedication and passion for his craft.
While Chagall’s wide-ranging artistic career showcases the influences of the Cubists, Supremacists, Surrealists and Abstract Expressionists, Chagall remained on the margins of these major movements. His aesthetics, subjects and visual explorations were always uniquely his own. In Les fleurs rouges Chagall's pink and red floral dreamscape invites the viewer to luxuriate in the beauty of nature and the joy of love.
Marc Chagall was born in Vitebsk, Russia, to a large, close-knit Jewish family of herring merchants. He began studying painting in 1906 under the famed artist Yehuda Pen. In 1907, he moved to St. Petersburg and joined the school of the Society of Art Supporters, studying under Nikolai Roerich, and was exposed to every school and artistic style imaginable during his tenure there. Chagall remained in St. Petersburg until 1910 when he relocated to Paris to be near the art community of the Montparnasse district, and he would eventually become a French citizen. Amongst the turmoil of the 20th century, including the Soviet regime and the outbreak of WWII, Chagall would continue to move between Russia, France and the United States throughout his life. Chagall died at the age of 97 in Saint-Paul de Vence, France, in 1985, leaving behind an incredible body of work that continues to demand the highest attention in the art community. Today, his works belong to the collections of prestigious museums across the globe including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Tate Modern in London and the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris.
This work is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity issued by the Comité Marc Chagall, signed by Meret Meyer dated Paris, April 6, 2023, and numbered 2023122.
Painted 1950
Paper: 25 1/4" high by 19 3/4" wide
Frame: 42 7/8 high by 37 1/4 x 2 1/8“ deep
Exhibitions:
Hanover, Kestner Gesellschaft, Marc Chagall, 15 May -26 June 1955, no. 73
Hamburg, Kunstverein im Hamburg, Chagall, 6 February - 22 March 1959, p. 48, no. 251 (illustrated)
Munich, Haus der Kunst, Chogall, 7 April - 31 May 1959, p. 48, no. 251 (illustrated)
Paris, Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Chagall, 14 June - September 1959, p. 48, no. 251 (illustrated)
Copenhagen, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Marc Chagall-Oskar Kokoschko, 22 October -13 November 1960, no. 29
Stockholm, Moderna Museet, Marc Chagall, 25 September - 5 December 1982, p. 87, no. 72 (illustrated)
Basel, Galerie Beyeler, Marc Chagall, November 1984 - February 1985, no. 59
Provenance:
Estate of the artist
Private collection, London
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
1887-1985 | Russian
Les fleurs rouges
Signed “Marc Chagall“ (lower right)
Gouache and pastel on paper
An intoxicating all-over composition rendered in a dizzying array of pink and red hues, Marc Chagall’s Les fleurs rouges is a vibrant masterpiece. As Picasso put it shortly before Henri Matisse’s passing in 1954, “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is.” The veracity of Picasso’s statement is best exemplified by vibrant works like Les fleurs rouges, a 1950 Chagall gouache that radiates the exuberance and romance of the artist’s celebrated oeuvre.
Chagall’s works in these colorful tones—specifically those rendered in reds and pinks—strongly evoke the passion of love the artist so fervently sought to portray and are among the most desirable of his works for top museums and collectors. This unique composition centers on a blossoming bouquet of flowers punctuated by a bright cerulean bloom. To the right, Chagall renders a proper still life with fruit, and to the left a compelling tableau of an embracing couple. The pair represent the artist and his first wife, Bella Rosenfeld, who tragically passed away in 1944.
While the death of his first wife cast a pall over Chagall’s life and, in turn, his art, the artist’s relocation to the South of France in 1949 began to awaken his soul once more. Chagall began to embrace his role as a colorist, allowing the brilliance of his environment to influence his palette. Thus, our brightly-pigmented pink and red work is a tribute to his beloved Bella and also a signal of his renewed dedication and passion for his craft.
While Chagall’s wide-ranging artistic career showcases the influences of the Cubists, Supremacists, Surrealists and Abstract Expressionists, Chagall remained on the margins of these major movements. His aesthetics, subjects and visual explorations were always uniquely his own. In Les fleurs rouges Chagall's pink and red floral dreamscape invites the viewer to luxuriate in the beauty of nature and the joy of love.
Marc Chagall was born in Vitebsk, Russia, to a large, close-knit Jewish family of herring merchants. He began studying painting in 1906 under the famed artist Yehuda Pen. In 1907, he moved to St. Petersburg and joined the school of the Society of Art Supporters, studying under Nikolai Roerich, and was exposed to every school and artistic style imaginable during his tenure there. Chagall remained in St. Petersburg until 1910 when he relocated to Paris to be near the art community of the Montparnasse district, and he would eventually become a French citizen. Amongst the turmoil of the 20th century, including the Soviet regime and the outbreak of WWII, Chagall would continue to move between Russia, France and the United States throughout his life. Chagall died at the age of 97 in Saint-Paul de Vence, France, in 1985, leaving behind an incredible body of work that continues to demand the highest attention in the art community. Today, his works belong to the collections of prestigious museums across the globe including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Tate Modern in London and the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris.
This work is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity issued by the Comité Marc Chagall, signed by Meret Meyer dated Paris, April 6, 2023, and numbered 2023122.
Painted 1950
Paper: 25 1/4" high by 19 3/4" wide
Frame: 42 7/8 high by 37 1/4 x 2 1/8“ deep
Exhibitions:
Hanover, Kestner Gesellschaft, Marc Chagall, 15 May -26 June 1955, no. 73
Hamburg, Kunstverein im Hamburg, Chagall, 6 February - 22 March 1959, p. 48, no. 251 (illustrated)
Munich, Haus der Kunst, Chogall, 7 April - 31 May 1959, p. 48, no. 251 (illustrated)
Paris, Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Chagall, 14 June - September 1959, p. 48, no. 251 (illustrated)
Copenhagen, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Marc Chagall-Oskar Kokoschko, 22 October -13 November 1960, no. 29
Stockholm, Moderna Museet, Marc Chagall, 25 September - 5 December 1982, p. 87, no. 72 (illustrated)
Basel, Galerie Beyeler, Marc Chagall, November 1984 - February 1985, no. 59
Provenance:
Estate of the artist
Private collection, London
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
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Specifications
| Maker: | Chagall, Marc |
| Period: | 1919-Present |
| Origin: | Russia |
| Type: | Paintings |
| Depth: | 2.13 |
| Width: | 37.25 |
| Height: | 42.88 |
| Style: | Modernism |
| Canvas Width: | 19.75 |
| Canvas Height: | 25.25 |
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What is Surrealism?
Surrealism, as both an organized movement and an overarching style in art history, reflects the otherworldly, the dream-like and the bizarre. Since the turn of the 20th century, artists have challenged pure representation...
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Buy with Confidence
At M.S. Rau, we are committed to building a long-term, rewarding relationship with each and every client. That’s why your purchase is backed by our 125% guarantee.
Learn More
