Marc Chagall

This 1987 exhibition poster was created for a traveling exhibition of Marc Chagall’s works that toured Japan, visiting cities such as Tokyo, Yamagata, Nagoya, and Gunma. It was printed in Paris by Atelier Mourlot, the studio responsible for producing most of Chagall’s lithographs.

The image featured on the poster was selected because Chagall had illustrated one of history's most iconic love stories, the Greek legend of Daphnis and Chloé. His poetic and emotional artistry beautifully captured the empathy and romance of the tale in a way that few others could. The project took nearly six years to complete and included 42 original lithographs. Chagall was deeply moved by the story, traveling several times to Greece with his wife to create preparatory sketches on the island of Lesbos, the homeland of publisher Tériade.

After Chagall’s death, this poster was reproduced by master printer Charles Sorlier, Chagall's closest collaborator at Mourlot and his most trusted friend.