Marc Chagall, Rachel Dérobe les Idoles de son Père (Rachel Steals Her Father's Household Gods), 1960, Original Lithograph

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Marc chagall

rachel dérobe les idoles de son père
(rachel steals her father's household gods)
from "drawings for the bible"

… Read more Marc chagall

rachel dérobe les idoles de son père
(rachel steals her father's household gods)
from "drawings for the bible"

colour lithograph on paper
publisher: verve, paris
year: 1960
size: 355 x 264 mm

on the back: another black and white original lithograph by marc chagall, mandatory in this edition.

very good condition: complete image (no crop, no trim), wonderful colours, a hardly perceivable bump in the corner (see image)

with gallery certificate

catalogue raisonné:
meret meyer and patrick cramer, "marc chagall, les livres illustrés", ref. # 42
charles sorlier and fernand mourlot, chagall lithographe, vol. Ii, ref. # 242
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chagall and the bible

marc chagall’s drawings for the bible, published in 1960 as a special double issue of the legendary art magazine verve, represents one of the most profound encounters between modern art and sacred text. While chagall had been obsessed with biblical themes since his 1931 trip to palestine, this specific suite allowed him to explore the narrative with a newfound technical mastery of colour lithography.

working closely with the master printer fernand mourlot, chagall created 24 vibrant color lithographs for this series. These works do not merely illustrate the old testament; they reimagine it through a dreamlike, jewish-eastern european lens. Chagall uses radiant blues, fiery reds, and golden yellows to transcend literal interpretation. The figures often float, defying gravity to suggest a spiritual reality that exists alongside the physical one.

for chagall, the bible was the "greatest source of poetry of all time." through these lithographs, he sought to make the ancient prophets and patriarchs feel human and immediate. Today, this collection is celebrated not just as a religious milestone, but as a pinnacle of 20th-century printmaking, showcasing how chagall could turn stone and ink into pure emotion.
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about this very artwork

in this lithograph, the artist brings to life a clever and tense moment from the book of genesis. Part of his 1960 bible series, this color lithograph depicts rachel sitting atop a camel, having hidden her father laban’s stolen teraphim (household idols) within the animal’s saddle. When laban catches up to search for them, rachel maintains her position, successfully concealing her theft through a shrewd deception.

chagall utilises a warm, vibrant palette dominated by earthy ochres and a striking wash of red and crimson on rachel’s garment. Her figure is elevated, emphasising her agency and the success of her ruse. Below her, the camel is rendered with expressive, fluid lines, while the figure of laban appears in the corner, his hands raised in a gesture of frantic searching or frustration. The speckled, grainy texture of the background evokes the dusty atmosphere of the desert journey. Through this masterful composition, chagall highlights rachel’s wit and the personal risks she took to secure her future. I have official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs,
designer records,
or other literature sources and take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising
from
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