This work is from a series entitled, “The Fourteen Large Lithographs of 1980” . They are truly monumental in scale and our example is no exception. It was the editor Aimé Maeght who had the idea of asking Chagall to realise a few large scale lithographs. At first Chagall was a little reticent. But he wanted to please Aimé Maeght and so he began to work. Almost at once he became completely absorbed in the project and went well beyond the editor's request, since he was soon working on fourteen plates. Utilising a vibrant colour palette and soft strokes, Chagall creates a whimsical work that conveys a sense of calm and ease. In our example two lovers stand side by side and gaze adoringly into each other's eyes. They appear in a field with the cityscape behind them. The young man holds a green bouquet and looks as though he is about to offer it to his lovely companion as a symbol of his love and affection. Throughout the composition, fanciful figures float and drift. A flute-player rests near the woman while a figure paints in the upper left corner and two lovers soar in the brilliant blue sky. However, the couple, placed strategically at the front of the composition, does not appear to notice the tiny figures amidst them; they are oblivious to the world around them, absorbed in their thoughts of love
A smaller unsigned version with no margins and on different paper was published in Derriere la Miroir.