Description:

Marc Chagall ALS on His Marriage: "…you will see with your own eyes the changes that have occurred in my life…"

A 1p autograph letter in French signed by modern artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985) as "Marc Chagall" at lower right, and inscribed with approximately 98 words in his hand. Written in Vence, France on June 9, 1953 on a single leaf of stationery with "'Les Collines' / Vence / (A.M.)" [trans: "'The Hills' / Vence A[lpes] M[aritimes]"] letterhead. Expected wear including minor paper folds and a few extra wrinkles, else near fine. 8.25" x 10.625."

Chagall wrote this letter to his friends Mr. and Mrs. Adolphe Juviler, devoted collectors of modern art whose collection included works by Chagall himself. Chagall wrote the Juvilers to give them his contact information prior to an intended visit to France. He also promised his future guests that they would see many personal changes in Chagall's life.

Translated in full, with untouched punctuation:

"June 9, 1953

Dear friends,

I was so pleased to have news of you and to learn that you are in better health. I hasten to tell you that I will be very happy to see you again, as well as all of yours [that is, your loved ones], when you will be in France. Simply call me up at (316 Vence) so that we can make a rendezvous.

I rejoice already at the thought of all the things that we can discuss and you will see with your own eyes the changes that have occurred in my life. To you and yours my good wishes

Sincerely

Marc Chagall."

Translator's note: Chagall's original message in French contained a few spelling mistakes.

One of the "changes" alluded to by Chagall could have concerned his new married life. Chagall's longtime partner Virginia Haggard McNeil had left him for a Belgian photographer a year earlier, in April 1952, after the couple spent seven years together and had a child, David, in 1946. Chagall married his second wife, Valentina "Vava" Brodsky Chagall (ca. 1905-1993), within three months of Virginia's departure, during the summer of 1952. Before serving as Chagall's secretary, Vava was a milliner in London. She was of Russian-Jewish ancestry like Chagall. The two remained married--after a brief divorce which secured more favorable terms for Vava--until Chagall's death. Chagall lived in Vence and in nearby Saint-Paul-de-Vence in the Alpes-Maritimes region of southern France between circa 1948 and his death in 1985. He purchased a country home called "Les Collines" where he lived and worked well into his 90s. Fellow modern artists Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso also called this part of the Côte d'Azur home.

Very little information can be found about Chagall's correspondent, Adolphe Juviler. He was French-speaking, and possibly a naturalized citizen of the United States. Juviler served as the chairman of the Olympic Radio and Television Inc., of Long Island City, and was also the president of International Resistance Company, a manufacturer of resistors, key components of early televisions. Juviler channeled his business acumen into art collecting.

Juviler's art collection was described by "Time" Magazine in 1961 as "a choice, if uneven, selection of modern paintings, sculpture, and drawings" which included works by Marc Chagall, Pierre Bonnard, and Chaim Soutine. In the fall of 1961, Juviler and his wife decided to thin out his art collection. The prestigious Manhattan auction house Parke-Bernet Galleries handled the sale of 39 works of art, garnering over $1 million in sales, and enabling the wealthy couple from New York and Palm Beach to devote more time to travel.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

January 6, 2022 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000