The Daphnis et Chloé suite is widely regarded as one of Marc Chagall’s most important graphic series. In the Mourlot Catalogue Raisonné, it is described as such due to both the exceptional quality of the works and the scale of the project.

The complete suite consists of 42 lithographs, all distinguished by their luminous colour, poetic imagery, and masterful compositions. The series illustrates the ancient pastoral romance Daphnis and Chloe, believed to have been written in the 2nd century AD and set on the Greek island of Lesbos.

The story follows Daphnis and Chloe, two children abandoned at birth and raised by shepherds, who grow up together tending flocks and gradually fall in love. Their innocence, emotional awakening, and trials are central to the narrative. Along the way, they encounter guidance, temptation, danger, and divine intervention before finally being reunited with their birth parents and married.

Chagall’s interpretation transforms this classical tale into a dreamlike, timeless vision. Figures float, colours glow, and the pastoral world becomes infused with tenderness, lyricism, and gentle eroticism—hallmarks of Chagall’s visual language.

In Daphnis et Gnathon, Chagall captures the spirit of youthful desire and mythic storytelling, blending classical subject matter with his unmistakable modern sensibility.

The Daphnis et Chloé series represents a high point in Chagall’s graphic work, sitting alongside his illustrated books for the Bible and classical literature. It demonstrates his extraordinary ability to merge narrative, symbolism, and colour into images that feel both ancient and contemporary.

Works from this suite are highly regarded by collectors and institutions alike, prized for their beauty, literary significance, and place within Chagall’s wider oeuvre.