Chagall, Marc, Daphnis and Chloe, 1961

Daphnis et Chloé is a novel by the Greek author Longus (2nd-3rd century B.C.), which takes the form of a pastoral and tells of a budding love between two teenagers. The forty-two original lithographs in two volumes were produced at the suggestion of publisher Tériade – artistic director of Minotaure and founder of Verve magazine – a native of Lesbos, the island where the novel is set. Marc Chagall used twenty-five different colors, which implies twenty-five lithographic stones (one per color) and twenty-five press runs to produce these lithographs.

Original lithographs include: La Découverte de Daphnis par Lamon, La Découverte de Chloé par Dryas, Le Songe de Lamon et de Dryas, Le Printemps au pré, Le Piège à loup, Daphnis et Chloé au bord de la fontaine, Le Jugement de ChloéLe Baiser de Chloé, La Ruse de Dorcon, À midi, l’été, L’Hirondelle, La Mort de Dorcon and La Caverne des Nymphes.