Description:

Marc Chagall TLS Referring to Stained Glass Windows He Designed for Metz Cathedral, To Be Included in the 1969 Grand Palais Exhibition

A 1p typed letter in French signed by modern artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985) as "Marc Chagall" at lower center, and also inscribed by him as "Bien a [sic] vous," or, "Best wishes," above his real and his typed signature. Written at 13, Quai d'Anjou, Paris, France on October 22, 1969 on cream stationery. Expected wear including paper folds, else near fine. 8.25" x 10.75." Accompanied by the original transmittal envelope featuring Chagall's typed signature verso. Bearing the usual cancelled stamps and letter-opened at the bottom.

Chagall wrote this letter to the wife (likely then the widow) of his friend Adolphe Juviler. The Juvilers were devoted collectors of modern art whose collection included works by Chagall himself. About one month earlier, on September 29, 1969, Chagall had written Madame Juviler to ask if she would loan an oil on canvas that he had done in 1944, "En écoutant le coq," or, "Listening to the Rooster," to the upcoming Chagall retrospective at Paris's Grand Palais.

Translated in full. Spelling or typographical errors in the original French have been silently corrected.

"October 22, 1969

Dear Friend,

It is with much joy that I received your letter--thank you with all my heart for having consented to loan the pictures for the Exhibition of the Grand Palais.

You have known me for many years and you know how I have always worried about [having] an important exhibition of my work. Naturally, it means a lot that the pictures that I consider the most important be included in this next exhibition. It will have at the same time the Stained glass windows that I did for the Cathedral at Metz as well as the tapestries. I have great hopes that everything together will make a very interesting ensemble.

Once again huge thanks on my part to you and to your son for this generous gesture. I hope to have the occasion of seeing you again soon.

I am taking part in your decision [communicated] to the Musées de France and your request regarding the transport of the picture.

My wife joins me in sending you our best remembrances,

[inscribed] Best wishes,

[signed] Marc Chagall."

Securing the loan of "En écoutant le coq" was a coup for Chagall. One of Chagall's most colorful and dramatic works, the oil on canvas depicts a rooster laying an egg, an upturned pine tree, a crescent moon, and the heads of two lovers overlaid on the body of a pig, dreamlike imagery which has been interpreted as symbolizing the imminent collapse of Nazism. Madame Juviler's husband Adolphe Juviler had lent the painting to New York City's Museum of Modern Art for inclusion in its Marc Chagall retrospective held more than 20 years earlier, in the spring of 1946. See the attached image of "Listening to the Rooster" included for reference.

Chagall also refers to the stained glass windows which he created for the Cathedral of Saint Stephen in Metz, in the Lorraine region of France, between 1958-1970. Chagall designed and installed a series of windows depicting central scenes from the Old Testament, including the creation of Adam and Eve, the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the sacrifice of Abraham, and Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. Chagall first tried working with stained glass when he was in his 70s, and discovered that he loved the medium. Chagall completed other stained glass windows for the Cathedral at Reims, the United Nations building, and the Hebrew University campus in Jerusalem, Israel. See the attached image of Chagall's stained glass window, "Creation," installed at Metz Cathedral between 1958-1961, included for reference.

An exhibition of Marc Chagall's artwork, "Hommage à Marc Chagall" was exhibited at the Grand Palais between December 13, 1969 and March 8, 1970. It was the largest retrospective to date, with more than 470 Chagall pieces on display. Chagall's artistic curiosity led him to explore many types of media over his 55-year-long career, including painting, prints, ceramics, stained glass, tapestries, and even mosaics. The retrospective exhibition must have underscored his versatility as an artist.

The Musées de France was a nationwide network of French art museums, castles, palaces, and other sites of historical importance. Jean Chatelain (1916-1994) headed the organization between 1962-1974.

Very little information could be found about Chagall's correspondent's husband, Adolphe Juviler. He was French-speaking, and possibly a naturalized citizen of the United States. Juviler had 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 had 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:

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

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide 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 who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, 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 Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. 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.

December 14, 2022 11:00 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