Marc Chagall, Booz se réveille et voit Ruth à ses pieds, Nude, 1960, Original Lithograph

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Marc chagall

booz se réveille et voit ruth à ses pieds
(boaz wakes up and sees ruth at his feet)
… Read more Marc chagall

booz se réveille et voit ruth à ses pieds
(boaz wakes up and sees ruth at his feet)
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. # 249
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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 offers a final, luminous perspective on the book of ruth. This colour lithograph from the 1960 bible series serves as a companion to the earlier nocturnal scene, now reimagined with the soft, ethereal light of a burgeoning dawn.

the composition features ruth reclining at the bottom of the frame, her form rendered with a delicate, porcelain-like pallor that contrasts with her flowing, dark blue hair. Above her, boaz is depicted leaning over, his features soft as he awakens to find the young widow seeking his protection. Unlike the deep, heavy ochres of their first meeting, this piece is bathed in a shimmering, pastel-toned atmosphere. Two tall, textured bundles of grain stand between them, whilst a vibrant red sun hangs in the upper corner, casting a providential glow over the threshing floor. Chagall’s signature grainy texture and fluid, gestural lines transform this moment of discovery into a poetic vision of destiny fulfilled. It is a masterful portrayal of the quiet, sacred beginnings of a lineage that would eventually shape history. 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
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