Rare Lithograph Cover to "Contes De Boccace" (Verve 24, 1950) by Marc Chagall

Description

Original limited edition 1950 lithograph cover after an ink wash painting by Marc Chagall for Verve Number 24 "Contes de … more Original limited edition 1950 lithograph cover after an ink wash painting by Marc Chagall for Verve Number 24 "Contes de Boccace" (Tales of Boccaccio) illustrating the "Tales of the Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio. Signed in stone. Printed by Draeger Frerés on in a limited edition of 790 for Revue Verve. Print size: 14 x 10 inches. A copy of the Colophon pages is included with the print. Unusually fine condition, for a Verve edition cover, with only slight evidence of wear; from our pristine copy of Verve Number 24.

This edition of Verve is somewhat less well known than the two "Bible" editions published several years later. However, Verve Number 24 "Contes de Boccace", was created by Tériade in close collaboration with Marc Chagall, and has a particular quality and tonal richness that commands attention.

Verve Revue Aristique et Litteraire, was founded in 1937 by Tériade as a showcase for work by the best contemporary artists, poets and writers. Printing by the finest printers, i.e., Draeger Frerés and Atelier Mourlot, the 38 mostly quarterly editions were published in 10 volumes. The last issue was published in 1960.

Tériade is the pen name of Stratis Eleftheriades (1897–1983), a native of Greece who went to Paris in 1915 to study law, but instead became an art critic, patron, and, most significantly, the publisher of Verve.

Draeger Frerés was printing house in Paris which has published some of the masterpieces of French publishing and was one of the pioneers of advertising. The company was founded in 1886 by Charles Draeger under the name of “Draeger & Lesieur.” Upon Charles’ death in 1899, the business was relaunched by his wife of Charles under the name of Draeger Frères. The company reached its peak between the end of World War I and the early 1960s, printing the works of with artists such as Braque, Chagall, Dalí, Magritte and Picasso for various publishers, including Verve. less