In the pantheon of modern art, few names shine as brightly as Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall. Both giants of 20th-century art, they redefined the possibilities of painting and printmaking - yet their relationship was anything but harmonious. While united by innovation and a deep engagement with their time, Picasso and Chagall were ultimately separated by temperament, philosophy, and creative vision.
At Andipa Editions, we celebrate the legacies of both artists, offering museum-quality Picasso prints and Chagall lithographs for sale. But what did these two greats think of one another? And how did their contrasting approaches define the evolution of modern art?
Though contemporaries, and at times friendly acquaintances, Picasso and Chagall rarely saw eye to eye in their work. Picasso was a restless innovator, moving from Blue Period melancholy to the radical geometries of Cubism, and later into neo-classical and Surrealist realms. His line was often angular, his palette austere, his mood aggressive or erotic. Chagall, by contrast, was a poetic fabulist. His works, especially his prints, fuse folklore, religion, and romantic nostalgia. His lithographs and etchings, such as those for The Fables of La Fontaine or The Bible, are drenched in warmth, symbolism and memory. Where Picasso sought revolution, Chagall pursued reverie.
What did Picasso say about Chagall?
The most infamous quote attributed to Picasso about Chagall is both admiring and acerbic. According to the art critic and biographer Françoise Gilot (Picasso’s companion and muse) Picasso once remarked:
“When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is. I mean there’s some rather indecent religious stuff, gooey things with angels flying around, but his canvases are really painted, not just thrown together. Some of the last things I saw in Paris were really good.”
This comment, recorded in Gilot’s Life with Picasso (1964), offers a complex view. On one hand, Picasso recognises Chagall’s mastery of colour, placing him just behind Matisse in that regard. On the other, he dismisses Chagall’s recurring theme - angels, lovers, floating figures - as overly sentimental or kitsch. Chagall, for his part, is believed to have responded with biting wit. According to the French artist and writer André Verdet, Chagall is said to have quipped:
“What a genius, that Picasso. It’s a pity he doesn’t paint.”
Whether apocryphal or authentic, this mutual critique highlights a deep aesthetic divide: Picasso, cerebral and often harsh in form and theme; Chagall, lyrical, dreamlike, and steeped in personal myth.
Printmaking: A Shared Mastery
Despite their differences, both artists turned repeatedly to printmaking, a medium that allowed them to expand their reach and refine their techniques. Picasso’s etchings, particularly from his Vollard Suite (1930–1937) and the later 347 Series (1968), display a raw, often erotic power. His use of aquatint and drypoint pushed the boundaries of expression in black and white. Chagall, meanwhile, produced some of the most visually poetic prints of the 20th century. His hand-coloured lithographs and aquatints, often produced in collaboration with master printer Fernand Mourlot, retain a painterly sensibility. Works such as Le Grand Cirque, Song of Songs, and The Story of Exodus are beloved by collectors for their vivid palette and allegorical tenderness.
Did Picasso and Chagall ever collaborate?
Though they moved in overlapping circles, particularly in Paris during the interwar and post-war years, Picasso and Chagall never directly collaborated. They did, however, exhibit in some of the same salons and shared relationships with influential dealers such as Ambroise Vollard, who commissioned both artists to illustrate literary works. Chagall’s Dead Souls illustrations (1923-27) and Picasso’s etchings for Balzac’s Le Chef-d'œuvre inconnu (1927) were both produced for Vollard’s ambitious publishing house. Yet even here, their differing sensibilities are evident- Picasso’s existential edge contrasted with Chagall’s dreamlike lyricism.
Conclusion: Picasso vs Chagall - or Picasso and Chagall?
To frame their relationship as a rivalry is tempting, but perhaps reductive. While they rarely praised each other, they both enriched the visual language of the 20th century, each in their own distinctive key. For collectors and admirers alike, their works do not compete, but complement. Where Picasso’s etchings are bold, experimental, and confrontational, Chagall’s prints are lyrical, narrative, and filled with longing. Together, they trace the full emotional arc of modern art, from analytical dissection to dreamlike elevation.
At Andipa Editions, we invite collectors to explore original works by both Picasso and Chagall, including signed lithographs, etchings, and rare drawings. These works are featured as part of our current exhibition Who Needs Colour - a curated selection of powerful black-and-white pieces by major artists, running until 5 July 2025 at our Walton Street space.
Discover more by visiting Andipa Editions or exploring the show via the Who Needs Colour exhibition page.
