Ceramic

The Dream

(Le Songe)

Author
Marc CHAGALL
Catalog raisonné no.
C-198
Date
1952
Typology
Vase
Technique
White clay, decorated with slips and oxides, engraved with a knife and dry point needle, partially enameled with brush
Dimensions
13 1/4 x 9 3/16 x 9 3/16 in. (33.7 x 23.3 x 23.3 cm)
Inscription(s)
Signed Chagall on the foot
Signed Marc Chagall Chagall and dated 1952 underneath
Owner
Private collection

Chagall began making vases in 1951. The Dream (1952) is one of his first. While its shape is plain and functional, the decoration is rich and painterly. Chagall achieved this by adding successive layers of engobes and oxides and removing material using a technique inherited from sgraffito1 recalling engraving. This vase with an “ovoid body” and “wide opening”, certainly made at the Madoura studio2, reflects formal preoccupations also found in Large Face and Bird [Grand visage et oiseau] (1952) or Profile and Nude or Paradise Blue Vase [Profil et nu ou Vase bleu paradis] (1953). It calls for “historiated development around the rim”, according to Sylvie Forestier.3

The intense blue color, revealed after firing, recalls the Mediterranean landscape that Chagall fell in love with during 1926 a trip to the Côte d'Azur4 and rediscovered when he moved there in 1949 after the tragedy of the Second World War. A monumental fish rises up to the neck of the vase. Part of Chagall’s bestiary and a Judeo-Christian symbol, the fish was depicted by the artist in various media, including ceramics (Fish [Le Poisson] (1952) or Still Life With Fish [Nature morte au poisson] (1952)) and sculpture (Woman With Fish [Femme au poisson] (1952)). The fish looks over a woman and a man with an animal's head sailing on a boat. They are probably Titania and Bottom, as suggested by the title of this ceramic evoking Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is set in Greece. The theme, which Chagall addressed in painting (Midsummer Night’s Dream [Le Songe d'une nuit d'été] (1939)]) and ceramics (Midsummer Night’s Dream [Le Songe d'une nuit d'été] (1952)), illustrates his fondness for the performing arts, an interest that was a running thread through his work since his first stage sets and costumes designed in Moscow in 1919,5 such as one of the four panels for the auditorium of the Jewish Art Theatre (GOSEKT): Jewish Art Theater, Moscow: panel for Theater [Théâtre d'art juif, Moscou : panneau pour Le Théâtre] (1920).

The second side features a red, seemingly floating female nude surrounded by a shimmering, mysterious black halo contrasting with the matte blue that strengthens the fantastic, theatrical atmosphere of the other side. Chagall explored these shades of deep, luminous black visible on many ceramics (Lovers With Goat [Amoureux avec chèvre] (1950), A Visit from the Donkey [L'Âne en visite] (1950)), which recall India ink and “echo the washes of the same period”,6 such as the series illustrating the Contes de Boccace,6 including The Cradle (illustration no. 24), 1949-1950.

Quitterie du Vigier
1See Ambre Gauthier’s article online: https://www.marcchagall.com/en/catalogue-raisonne/ceramic/rooster-1954.
2The “Madoura” impression can be seen on the bottom of the Large Face and Bird vase. Given the similar shapes, it can be assumed that all three pieces were made at the Madoura studio in Vallauris.
3Sylvie Forestier and Meret Meyer, Les Céramiques de Chagall, Paris, Albin Michel, 1990, p. 34.
4Franz Meyer, Marc Chagall, Paris, Flammarion, 1995, p. 165.
5Franz Meyer, op. cit., p. 131.
6Ambre Gauthier and Meret Meyer (ed.), Chagall : Du noir et blanc à la couleur (exhibition catalogue, Aix-en-Provence, Hôtel de Caumont, November 1, 2018-March 24, 2019), Paris, Culturespaces, Paris, Éditions Hazan, 2018, p. 63.
7These washes illustrated the Contes de Boccace published in 1950 in issue 24 of the magazine Verve.
  • The Dream, 1952, Ceramic by Marc Chagall

    Marc CHAGALL, The Dream (Le Songe), 1952, white clay, decorated with slips and oxides, engraved with a knife and dry point needle, partially enameled with brush, 13 1/4 x 9 3/16 x 9 3/16 in. (33.7 x 23.3 x 23.3 cm), Private collection © Fabrice GOUSSET/ADAGP, Paris, 2025

  • Marc CHAGALL, The Dream (Le Songe), 1952, white clay, decorated with slips and oxides, engraved with a knife and dry point needle, partially enameled with brush, 13 1/4 x 9 3/16 x 9 3/16 in. (33.7 x 23.3 x 23.3 cm), Private collection © Fabrice GOUSSET/ADAGP, Paris, 2025

  • Marc CHAGALL, The Dream (Le Songe), 1952, white clay, decorated with slips and oxides, engraved with a knife and dry point needle, partially enameled with brush, 13 1/4 x 9 3/16 x 9 3/16 in. (33.7 x 23.3 x 23.3 cm), Private collection © Fabrice GOUSSET/ADAGP, Paris, 2025

  • Marc CHAGALL, The Dream (Le Songe), 1952, white clay, decorated with slips and oxides, engraved with a knife and dry point needle, partially enameled with brush, 13 1/4 x 9 3/16 x 9 3/16 in. (33.7 x 23.3 x 23.3 cm), Private collection © Fabrice GOUSSET/ADAGP, Paris, 2025

  • Marc CHAGALL, The Dream (Le Songe), 1952, white clay, decorated with slips and oxides, engraved with a knife and dry point needle, partially enameled with brush, 13 1/4 x 9 3/16 x 9 3/16 in. (33.7 x 23.3 x 23.3 cm), Private collection © Fabrice GOUSSET/ADAGP, Paris, 2025

  • Marc CHAGALL, The Dream (Le Songe), 1952, white clay, decorated with slips and oxides, engraved with a knife and dry point needle, partially enameled with brush, 13 1/4 x 9 3/16 x 9 3/16 in. (33.7 x 23.3 x 23.3 cm), Private collection © Fabrice GOUSSET/ADAGP, Paris, 2025

Provenance (1)

  • Private collection

Archive

Exhibitions (14)

  • Marc Chagall : Sculptures, Ceramics, Etchings for the Fables of La Fontaine, Curt Valentin Gallery, New York, United States Of America, November 18, 1952 - December 13, 1952
  • Hommage à Marc Chagall, Grand Palais, Paris, France, December 13, 1969 - March 8, 1970
  • Marc Chagall : Meisterwerke seiner Keramik, Stadthalle Balingen, Balingen, Germany, June 21, 2003 - September 28, 2003
  • Schilderen met vuur : De keramiek van Marc Chagall, Stedelijk Museum 's-Hertogenbosch, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, July 1, 2005 - September 11, 2005
  • La terre est si lumineuse : Marc Chagall et la céramique, June 30, 2007 - May 25, 2008
    • Musée Magnelli, Musée de la Céramique, Vallauris, France, June 30, 2007 - September 30, 2007
    • La Piscine – Musée d’art et d’industrie André Diligent, Roubaix, France, October 19, 2007 - January 20, 2008
    • Musée d'art moderne de Céret, Céret, France, February 16, 2008 - May 25, 2008
  • Couleurs & lumière : Chagall, Sima, Knoebel, Soulages...des ateliers d'art sacré au vitrail d'artiste, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Reims, Reims, France, October 15, 2011 - February 26, 2012
  • Chagall: Beyond Color, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, United States Of America, February 17, 2013 - May 26, 2013
  • Marc Chagall : Le Triomphe de la musique, Philharmonie de Paris, Paris, France, October 13, 2015 - January 31, 2016
  • Chagall : Colour and Music, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, Montréal, Canada, January 28, 2017 - June 11, 2017
  • Chagall : Du coq à l'âne, Le Doyenné, Brioude, France, July 21, 2018 - October 7, 2018
  • Chagall : Du noir et blanc à la couleur, Hôtel de Caumont, Aix-en-Provence, France, November 1, 2018 - March 24, 2019
  • Sur la terre des dieux : Marc Chagall et le monde grec, Musée national Marc Chagall, Nice, France, November 16, 2019 - September 21, 2020

Publications (20)

  • Marc Chagall : Sculpture, ceramics, etchings for the Fables of La Fontaine, (exhibition catalogue, New York, Curt Valentin Gallery, November 18,1952 - December 13, 1952), New York, Curt Valentin Gallery, 1952, No. 24, ill. p. 8, p. 16
  • PORRO, B.-J., L'Abeille, No. 27/67, 1967, ill. p. 18
  • Hommage à Marc Chagall, (exhibition catalogue, Paris, Grand Palais, December 13,1969 - March 8, 1970), Paris, RMN-Réunion des Musées nationaux, 1969, No. 417, ill. p. 286, p. 266
  • SORLIER, Charles, MALRAUX, André, Les céramiques et sculptures de Chagall, Monte-Carlo, Éditions André Sauret, 1972, No. 175, ill. p. 200
  • WYMAN, Bill, VERDET, André, CHAGALL, Marc, Chagall Méditerranéen, Paris, Daniel Lelong Éditeur, 1983, ill. p. 52, 53, p. 123
  • LE TARGAT, Francois, Marc Chagall, Paris, Albin Michel, 1985, No. 143, ill. p. n. p., p. 23, 128
  • FORESTIER, Sylvie, MEYER, Meret, Chagall e la ceramica, Milan, Jaca Book, 1990, fig. 93, 94, 95, 96, No. 106, ill. p. n. p., p. 34, 166
  • FORESTIER, Sylvie, MEYER, Meret, Les céramiques de Chagall, Paris, Albin Michel, 1990, fig. 93, 94, 95, 96, No. 106, ill. p. n. p., p. 34, 166
  • Marc Chagall : Ceramic Masterpieces, (exhibition catalogue, Balingen, Stadthalle Balingen, June 21,2003 - September 28, 2003), Münich, Prestel Verlag, 2003, No. 51, ill. p. 98, 99
  • Marc Chagall : Meisterwerke seiner Keramik, (exhibition catalogue, Balingen, Stadthalle Balingen, June 21,2003 - September 28, 2003), Münich, Prestel Verlag, 2003, No. 51, ill. p. 98, 99, p. 98
  • Marc Chagall : Keramiek / Ceramics, (exhibition catalogue, 's-Hertogenbosch, Stedelijk Museum 's-Hertogenbosch, July 1,2005 - September 11, 2005), Zwolle, Waanders, 2005, ill. p. 104-105, p. 104
  • La terre est si lumineuse : Marc Chagall et la céramique, (exhibition catalogue, Vallauris, Musée Magnelli, Musée de la Céramique, June 30, 2007 - September 30, 2007 ; Roubaix, La Piscine – Musée d’art et d’industrie André Diligent, October 19, 2007 - January 20, 2008 ; Céret, Musée d'art moderne de Céret, February 16, 2008 - May 25, 2008), Paris, Éditions Gallimard, 2007, No. 61, ill. p. couverture, 84-85, p. 128, 181
  • La revue de la céramique et du verre, No. 157, 2007, ill. p. 31, p. 29
  • Couleurs & lumière : Chagall, Sima, Knoebel, Soulages...des ateliers d'art sacré au vitrail d'artiste, (exhibition catalogue, Reims, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Reims, October 15,2011 - February 26, 2012), Bonsecours, Point de vues, Reims, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Reims, 2011, ill. p. 74
  • Chagall : Beyond Color, (exhibition catalogue, Dallas, Dallas Museum of Art, February 17,2013 - May 26, 2013), Dallas, Dallas Museum of Art, 2013, No. 95, ill. p. 40
  • Chagall et la musique, (exhibition catalogue, Paris, Philharmonie de Paris, October 13,2015 - January 31, 2016 ; Roubaix, La Piscine – Musée d’art et d’industrie André Diligent, October 24,2015 - January 31, 2016), Paris, Éditions Gallimard, 2015, No. P71, ill. p. 96, p. 355
  • Chagall et la musique, Connaissance des arts Hors-série, No. n°690, 2015, ill. p. 32
  • Chagall and Music, (exhibition catalogue, Montréal, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, January 28,2017 - June 11, 2017 ; Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, July 31,2017 - January 7, 2018), Paris, Éditions Gallimard, Montréal, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, 2017, No. 95, ill. p. 112, p. 113, 392
  • Chagall : du coq à l'âne, (exhibition catalogue, Brioude, Le Doyenné, July 21,2018 - October 7, 2018), Brioude, Le Doyenné, 2018, ill. p. 65
  • Chagall : Du noir et blanc à la couleur, Editor GAUTHIER, Ambre, MEYER, Meret, (exhibition catalogue, Aix-en-Provence, Hôtel de Caumont, November 1,2018 - March 24, 2019), Paris, Culturespaces, Paris, Éditions Hazan, 2018, ill. p. 152, 153

EN Message