“Chagall – L’Oeuvre Gravé”

This First Edition copy of "Chagall – L'Oeuvre Gravé", with Gerd Hatje, Editor and Calmann-Lévy, Distributor, was published in 1957. Franz Meyer, who was a director of the Berne Gallery of Art, provided the text for the book. The book, which measures approximately 9 x 11 inches, has a handwritten signed inscription in Yiddish script on the front free end paper. The identity of the signer is not clear, although it may be Chagall writing in Yiddish or Hebrew format. The book is hard bound in light gray cloth covered boards, with an illustration of Chagall's work on the front cover, and black text on the spine. The book is enclosed in a dust jacket that is covered, front and back, with a Chagall illustration. A tan paper strip, containing the title of the book, is wrapped around the lower edge of the dust jacket and supported by a mylar jacket protecting both the title wrapping and the dust jacket. The book is in near-fine condition; the dust jacket and title wrapping are in very good condition, with some signs of wear on the edges, and the mylar cover is in fair, but serviceable, condition with missing major pieces along the bottom edge.

The book, which is written in French, is organized as follows:
• The first section, pages i to xxxv, contains the text, written by Franz Meyer, that provides the reader with the background and significance of the works of Chagall presented throughout the book. A 4 ½ page piece on Chagall's biographical notes is included in this section. Also included are four full color illustrations and three black & white illustrations.
• The second section, pages 1 to 151, contains 144 black & white works of Chagall, a table listing each illustration with its appropriate description, and an associated bibliography.

The illustrations accompanying this description show:
• The front face of the dust jacket, with the tan title paper inserted.
• The front cover of the book.
• The Title page and signed inscription (2-page spread)
• One of the four full color figures in the first section of the book.
• Two typical black & white figures in the second section of the book. (2-page spread)

Marc Zakharovich Chagall (6 July1887 – 28 March 1985) was a Russian-French artist of Belarusian Jewish origin. An early modernist, he was associated with several major artistic styles and created works in virtually every artistic format, including painting, book illustrations, stained glass, stage sets, ceramic, tapestries and fine art prints. Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century" (though Chagall saw his work as "not the dream of one people but of all humanity"). Using the medium of stained glass, he produced windows for the cathedrals of Reims and Metz, windows for the UN and the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Jerusalem Windows in Israel. He also did large-scale paintings, including part of the ceiling of the Paris Opera. [Wikipedia]