"Tapestries"
(Jacob Baal-Teshuva)
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Yvette Cauquil-Prince
weaving a Chagall tapestry
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Yvette Cauquil-Prince
The Tapestries of Marc Chagall
The beginning of my work on the tapestries of Marc
Chagall coincided with the last stages of the production of his wall
hangings for the Knesset by the Manufacture nationale des Gobelins in
Paris. The translation of Chagall's gouaches into tapestries proved
problematic in many ways.
For me it was a stroke of luck to be drawn into this
venture, which demanded not only great precision and respect, but also
love and intuition, as I was drawn ever closer to Chagall's work. It
was the beginning of a collaboration that has continued to this day.
After intensive studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
in Belgium, I devoted myself to painting, although for many years I
had been especially interested in tapestries from the 15th, 16th and
17th centuries, as well as in some works from the 18th century. My
first encounter with Coptic works, passed down to us from the first
and second centuries AD, awakened in me a passion for this art form,
while the tapestries of the 19th and 20th centuries held little
appeal, and seemed to me, with a few exceptions, very poor in
comparison. Even the tapestries of Goya pale beside any one of that
master's engravings or paintings.
And the Copts had indeed discovered everything that
was later to be found in the European tradition of tapestry weaving:
the stretching of the fabric in a frame, hatching, shading and
selecting weft threads of varying strengths to match the particular
demands of the original picture. My task as a weaver was to place the
full potential of this technique, as reached at its first zenith, at
the service of leading artists of the present day.
My work with Marc Chagall was exemplary. The formal
compositional elements to be found even in his most mysterious works,
his lyricism and his poetry challenged me to use the full range of
possibilities offered by this craft, whether the task in hand was the
translation of a gouache, an oil painting or even a lithograph.
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"The weaving of tapestries is like a ceremonial act. It is a song, a
song of epic solemnity: a polyphonic choir, in which the singers (the
weavers), [...] as befits performing artists, must needs keep their eyes
fixed on the conductor's baton. The conductor himself though (who, in my
mind, belongs to the family of creative artists), responding to his
innermost calling, must construct the piece, direct it, give it meaning,
bring out the finest details."
Jean Lurcat
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Marc Chagall and Yvette Cauquil-Prince
, 1966
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The most important and challenging aspect of the
creation of a tapestry - regardless of who produced the cartoon - is
that the new work must cover a far larger space on the wall, yet be
conceived and visualised with great sensitivity and empathy for the
original. Obviously, not all compositions are strong enough to survive
this process of magnification from the comparative intimacy of a sheet
of paper or a painting to the dimensions of a wall-covering design.
I was constantly filled with the spirit of Chagall's
work and felt compelled to adhere faithfully to the intentions of the
artist. Within the limits of my craft and in a format differing from
that of the original, I had to strive to bring across his special
intensity of colour and compositional formality, which amateurs so
seldom perceive.
It was always immensely helpful to be able to
discuss a tapestry with Chagall before its completion. We both agreed
that unless the tapestries had achieved the full beauty and unique
character of the original work they should be taken away and
destroyed. Here, moments of joy and happiness alternated with periods
of crushing insecurity, since no one is infallible. Yet under these
circumstances, as Chagall said, I strove successfully for twenty
years.
Today when, following Chagall's wishes, I devote
most of my time to his monumental works, I very much miss his presence
and the lively talks and laughter we shared. It has always given me
great joy to find the hidden messages in his works and to be the
mediator through whom they are passed on. Chagall felt I understood
him and had the artistic talent to translate his art.
Now I must manage to carry on the work without that
stimulating dialogue, supported by the trust of people that he loved
and for whom I feel respect, empathy and gratefulness, friends who
have made it possible for me to renew this pact of trust. With these
few lines I would like to express my deep gratitude to the artist's
widow, Valentina Chagall, and Madame Ida Chagall, the artist's
daughter, and his generous and loving grandchildren Bella, Meret and
Piet.
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The Dance
1969
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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Profile in Blue and Yellow
1973
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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David and Bathsheba
1973
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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"If ever there was a moral crisis, it is that of
paint, matter, blood, and all their constituents - the words and
tones, all the things out of which one makes a life or creates art.
For even if you cover a canvas with thick masses of paint,
irrespective of whether the outlines of shapes can be made out or not,
and even if you enlist the help of words and sounds, it does not
necessarily follow that an authentic work of art will emerge."
Marc Chagall
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Song of Songs
1974
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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Circus II
1975
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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The Dance
1997
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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"I have always thought of clowns, acrobats and
actors as tragically human beings, who for me resemble the figures in
certain religious paintings."
Marc Chagall
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The Big Circus
1985
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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"The habit of ignoring nature is deeply implanted
in our times. This attitude reminds me of people who never look you in
the eye: I find them disturbing and always have to look awav."
Marc Chagall
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The Harlequin Family
1993
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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To My Wife
1994
Tapestry, manufactured by master-craftswoman Yvette Cauquil-Prince
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The true validity of a work of art is
demonstrated when it is translated into a tapestry. Its enlarged
projection proves its physical existence,
while magnifying it to
startling proportions denies neither the artwork's material nor
spiritual form [...] By placing herself at the service of artists,
[...] Mme Cauquil-Prince has chosen to forget herself and to paint
through weaving. She derives satisfaction from an unexpected intimacy,
a marvellous state of grace in which she brings to life again the
gifts entrusted to her by the artists who have chosen her, or whom she
has chosen."
Francois Mathey Former, chief curator of the Musee
des Arts Decoratifs, Paris
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