Etude pour "Le Baou de Saint-Jeannet"

Chagall painted the present work in 1969 while living on the Côte d'Azur at his villa, Les Collines. The artist moved there in the spring of 1950 and would reside there for sixteen years, initially with his companion Virginia McNeil and later with his second wife Valentina ("Vava") Brodsky. Situated on the slope of the Baou des Blancs, near the road between Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Saint-Jeannet, Chagall's beloved home was surrounded by peach orchards and olive groves; it was a veritable Arcadia in which the artist found a vital new energy. Chagall set up his studio in an annex to the house where large windows gave an expansive view to Vence. From this vantage point he was able to take in all of his surroundings and transport himself to the whimsical scenes of his paintings.
For the present painting, Chagall found inspiration in the neighboring town of Saint-Jeannet, with its imposing mountain, Le Baou de Saint-Jeannet. In typical Chagall fashion, the artist has turned the mountain into one of his most favorite subjects, the lovers, most likely a direct reference to the artist and Vava. Set against a background of deep blues, the lovers’ eternal embrace is fused into the shape of the mountain, standing high above the bustling village below. In contrast with the rich background are the vibrant touches of yellow, green, orange and white making up the floral bouquets that balance the composition. A blazing red harvest moon illuminates the night sky, faintly lighting the way for the donkey and basket-toting villager in the foreground. This work is a study for the larger oil from the same year, a canvas that remained in the artist’s collection until his death, demonstrating the personal connection Chagall had with the subject matter.