“Each of us from his own corner of the world was drawn towards Paris, not to make a name - at that time there seemed little hope of achieving success - but in order to express himself differently, completely, and above all, to find the artistic means to give outward manifestation to inward feelings.”

—Marc Chagall

In Le Magicien de Paris II (The Magician of Paris II) Marc Chagall illustrates the beauty and allure of Paris, his adopted home and a city close to his heart. Chagall depicts a colorful juggler standing tall in the foreground, hovering over the red city scape, offering humble flowers to Paris. In the upper left of the image, a crowd gathers, dancing within a mist of green. The juggler, akin to Chagall himself, represents the artisans who call Paris their home. He pays homage to the city that has inspired and help cultivate what he as an artist holds most precious: his work.

Chagall’s dreamscape is one of four plates, all with Paris as the theme, published to advertise his 1969 retrospective at the Grand Palais. Le Magicien de Paris II is the second iteration of Le Magicien de Paris I, created with the same key plate printed in black, but composed of new colors on additional zinc plates. The imagery remains consistent between both works, while the color choice of Le Magicien de Paris II is more vibrant in its usage of reds and greens. Though Chagall did not choose this version to serve as the poster publicizing the exhibition, his retrospective exhibition, composed of 596 works including paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics, tapestries, and stained-glass remains one of the most prolific presentations of the artist’s work.

Since the artist’s first, and highly successful, attempt at color lithography in 1948 when he illustrated four tales from Arabian Nights, Chagall had continued to demonstrate his mastery of the medium and unparalleled talent of enhancing evocative stories though his vibrant imagery. The versatile printing technique of lithography allowed Chagall to seamlessly integrate his signature artistic style of loose brushwork, deep colors, and rich layering of color into the prints. As he built up texture and lush scenes on individually inked plates, Chagall transports his spectators into his dynamic cityscapes.