Original etching created by Marc Chagall for the illustration of the fable The Wolf, the Fox, and the Monkey, extracted from the Fables of La Fontaine. • Technique: etching (original print on copper) • Dimensions visible: approximately 30 x 22 cm • Period of plate creation: executed between 1927 and 1952 • Signature: signed in the plate • Annotation: mention at the bottom left indicating the illustration for the Fables of La Fontaine. Iconographic description The composition features the three protagonists of the fable: the monkey, the fox, and the wolf, depicted in a dense and dramatic atmosphere. The monkey, placed at a height, adopts an expressive and almost human posture, dominating the scene. Below, the fox and the wolf appear in subtle narrative tension, their silhouettes emerging from an intense network of hatching and deep shadows. The treatment is characteristic of Chagall's etching: • Vibrant and nervous line • Layering of hatches creating a dark and velvety material • Powerful contrasts between light and darkness • Dreamy and symbolic atmosphere The artist transcends mere literal illustration to propose a poetic and almost mystical vision of the fable. The animals become symbolic figures, imbued with a moral and universal dimension. ⸻ ? The Fables of La Fontaine and Marc Chagall The illustration project for the Fables was initiated in the 1920s by the great dealer and art publisher Ambroise Vollard. Chagall worked on the plates between 1927 and 1952. The definitive edition was published in 1952 by the art publisher Tériade. The collection includes 100 original engravings. This set is now regarded as one of the masterpieces of 20th-century illustration. Chagall, deeply attached to narrative and symbolic tradition, imbues the fables with a universal and humanistic dimension, far removed from mere decorative illustration. ⸻ ? Biography Marc Chagall (1887–1985) is one of the major artists of the 20th century. • Born in Vitebsk (now Belarus) • Artistic training in Russia • Settled in Paris in 1910 • Close to the avant-gardes without ever belonging to a specific movement • French naturalization in 1937 • Exiled in the United States during World War II • Permanent return to France after 1948 His work, deeply poetic, blends: • Childhood memories • Jewish culture • Spirituality • Love • Symbolic bestiary He worked in painting, engraving, lithography, stained glass, ceramics, and tapestry. ⸻ Engraving occupies a central place in his work. Among his major engraved works: • The Dead Souls of Gogol • The Bible • The Fables of La Fontaine Features of his etching work: • Free and expressive line • Great narrative richness • Dramatic depth • Masterful use of black and contrasts The plates for La Fontaine constitute one of the peaks of his graphic work. ⸻ Chagall's original engravings for the Fables are particularly sought after for: • Their historical importance • Quality of execution • Prestigious collaboration with Vollard and Tériade • Their significant place in the history of modern illustration This plate, The Wolf, the Fox, and the Monkey, is an emblematic work of the dialogue between classical French literature and 20th-century artistic modernity. Recommended products Provided by Recommended products Provided by Engraving 1950 Barta Etching Roman Portrait Art Lithograph Greek Woman See product Type: Engraving Country of origin: France Genre: Art Deco Features: Signed Theme: Portrait, Self-Portrait