Lithograph from 1954.
an unsigned proof, aside edition of 75 signed proofs.
Dimensions of work: 76 x 51.5 cm.
Publisher: Maeght Éditeur, Paris.
Reference: Mourlot 111.
The work is in Good condition.
--
Marc Chagall’s La Bastille (1954) presents a vivid interpretation of one of Paris’s most historically charged locations. In this lithograph, produced as an unsigned proof outside the edition of seventy-five signed impressions, Chagall depicts the Place de la Bastille directly, yet filters it through his characteristic blend of rich color and symbolic form.
The July Column—standing on the former site of the Bastille prison—anchors the composition and immediately identifies the location. Around it, Chagall arranges sweeping reds, blues, and violets that lend the scene a sense of movement and emotional depth rather than strict topographical precision. Familiar Chagallian motifs, including softly delineated figures and an animal profile emerging from the lower register, animate the square and highlight the human stories bound to this landmark.
Published by Maeght Éditeur, Paris (Mourlot 111), the work reflects Chagall’s mastery of mid-century lithography and his ability to transform a concrete, historical place into an image that feels both immediate and poetic. Measuring 76 × 51.5 cm and preserved in Good condition, La Bastille stands as a visually engaging tribute to one of France’s most symbolic urban sites.
