Chagall Lithographe III (1962–1968) – Charles Sorlier (1969)
This meticulously curated volume, authored by Charles Sorlier—Marc Chagall’s master printer and longtime collaborator at Paris’s Mourlot Studios—chronicles the artist’s lithographic output during a transformative six-year period. Between 1962 and 1968, Chagall’s work reached new heights of poetic intensity, blending his iconic motifs (flying lovers, biblical prophets, and radiant bouquets) with an increasingly masterful command of color lithography.
Sorlier’s intimate perspective reveals the technical and emotional nuances behind Chagall’s process, from the whimsical illustrations for “The Arabian Nights” (1962) to the luminous “Bible Series” (1966) and the celebratory “Paris Opera Ceiling” studies (1964). The book showcases how Sorlier’s printing expertise elevated Chagall’s painterly visions into print, with layered inks achieving the depth of stained glass and the spontaneity of watercolor.
A bridge between Chagall’s late-period mysticism and his enduring joy, this catalog is a testament to the symbiotic genius of artist and artisan.
“Sorlier’s presses didn’t replicate Chagall’s world—they set it free in ink.”
The third catalogue raisonne of lithographs by Marc Chagall (1887 – 1985), with two original color lithographs (frontispiece and dust jacket.) Introduction by Julien Cain; compiled with captions by Fernand Mourlot and Charles Sorlier. 179 pages; 2 original color lithographs + 185 illustrations, most color; 10 x 13 inches. List of plates. Text in French.
