Le Cirque (The Circus) Mourlot 504

by Marc Chagall

Lithographs

Description

Marc Chagall’s "Le Cirque" (Mourlot 504, 1967) is a richly imaginative color lithograph from the celebrated "Le Cirque" suite. This composition presents a mesmerizing circus drama, where the tension between lion and lion tamer takes center stage. A massive, green-outlined lion’s head dominates the image, visually confining the tamer to the lower left, while a stoic clown stands serenely at right, indifferent to the surrounding spectacle. The entire image is suffused with mottled hues of puce, green, and gold, lending the scene an air of mystery and subtle gravity.

Artistic and Social Context

Created as part of the 38-lithograph "Le Cirque" portfolio, Mourlot 504 reflects Chagall’s fascination with the circus as both a dreamlike spectacle and a metaphor for life’s delicate balance of danger and delight. The suite’s completion was spurred by publisher Tériade, who encouraged Chagall to revisit his earlier circus compositions. Printed at Atelier Mourlot, this lithograph brings together Chagall’s playful visual imagination and a nuanced emotional depth.

Interpretation and Meaning

The interplay between the looming lion, vulnerable tamer, and detached clown invites viewers to contemplate the duality of performance: courage versus comedy, risk versus routine. The lion’s swirling, oversized head and Chagall’s fantastical palette hint at a world where boundaries blur and imagination reigns, while the ambiguous interaction challenges the viewer to consider the nature of entertainment itself.