French Mourlot Exhibition Poster for ‘Chagall | Grand Palais’ 1975

This is a French exhibition poster for a Marc Chagall exhibit at the Grand Palais in Paris. Marc Chagall was one of the most influential modernist painters of the 20th century, noted for his wholly original amalgamation of modern styles and above all, his gorgeous and richly symbolic use of color. As Picasso once said, “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is.” The poster is in many ways a classical example of Chagall’s aesthetic, exemplifying the remarkable ways that he drew from the traditions of cubism, symbolism, and fauvism to create vibrantly dynamic and wholly modern form of surrealist-flavored representation. This is an interesting example of the more realist influenced work of Chagall. The image depicts a bride and groom hugging, with a faerie like figure behind them and flowery tree protruding into frame from the top-left. In the top middle, offset right, Chagall’s name is written out in thick, almost brutal strokes of black paint. While this poster leans towards the more Fauvist strains of Chagall’s work, it is still marked by the amazing use of color to create feeling and meaning and the surrealist use of perspective that makes his work so remarkable.

This poster was printed in France.