Dessins pour la Bible
The Bible Series
1960

“Whenever I bent over the lithography stone…it was as though I was touching a talisman. It seemed as though I could pour all my sadness and joys into it.”

-Marc Chagall

The first color lithographic Bible series, printed by the great French lithographers Mourlot Frères, were published in 1956. They were met with such high acclaim that Chagall made a further more complete set with 24 illustrations, using in some cases 20 different limestones, which was published in 1960. Curator, Suleyman Cooke, “we are particularly honored to present this important achievement of Chagall’s in its entirety”. Old Testament subjects are depicted in 24 full color double-sided Original Lithographs: the creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Hagar in the desert, the meeting of Ruth and Boaz, Job at prayer, & more. Captions cite biblical sources of each drawing. Russian-born painter and designer, Marc Chagall (1887-1985), established a reputation as one of the best-loved artists of the 20th century. His work was dominated by two rich sources of imagery; memories of the Jewish life and folklore of his early years in Russia; and the Bible.