Les amoureux au coq is a vivid and whimsical portrayal of love, a recurring theme in the work of Marc Chagall. In his signature floating style, the artist depicts a romantic couple embracing or leaning close to one another. Above them, a rooster—vibrantly rendered and symbolizing passion and vitality—adds a dynamic element to the composition. As is common in Chagall’s oeuvre, the background includes elements of a village or a dreamlike landscape, blending Chagall’s memories of his native Russia with the romanticism of Paris. The piece captures the essence of Chagall’s work: a poetic, colorful celebration of love, life, and the fantastical.
This lithograph was a creative collaboration with one of the most innovative master printers of the twentieth century, Daniel Jacomet. The Jacomet atelier was known for producing high-quality pochoir prints closely associated with original paintings or watercolors. Making a pochoir print involves a technique of stenciling that dates back to early twentieth-century France. The process begins with the designing of stencils in the desired shapes or patterns, which are then cut—for example, from stiff paper or metal (often zinc). These stencils are applied to paper or fabric, and paint or ink is brushed, dabbed, or sponged through the open areas to transfer the design.
Provenance: Galerie Iris Clert, Paris; Private dealer, Paris; Salon D’Art Collection