Les Ames Mortes.

The first major book entirely illustrated by Chagall. Gogol's masterpiece 'Dead Souls', the first major book entirely illustrated by Chagall and his first illustrations for Vollard. Signed by Chagall on the limitation and title-page. Written over five years at the end of the long pilgrimage that brought Gogol to Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy, 'Dead Souls' offers a vivid and ruthless portrait of a small swindler in provincial Russia in 1820. Published for the first time in 1842, the novel went on to exert a huge influence over the development of Russian literature.

In 1923 the French publisher Ambroise Vollard asked Chagall to produce an illustrated edition. Chagall, who had always felt a strong emotional connection to the country where he spent his youth, agreed with enthusiasm and pursued the project between 1923 and 1927. However, like many other Vollard projects, the production of the work was interrupted and only completed years later.

The final plate presents a particularly curious image in which Gogol reads and Chagall paints a portrait of Vollard.

Limited edition, one of 50 copies on vélin d'arches filigrané, number 27 from a total edition of 368; 2 vols, folio (38 x 28 cm); illustrated with 96 etchings, hors-texte, and 11 etched vignettes, en-texte on Japon nacré; signed in ink by the artist on justification page; all loose as issued in publisher's printed cream coloured wrappers, with cream coloured chemises, chemises a little worn and stained; [iv], 160, [4]pp.; [viii], 165-308, [12] pp., overall a very good copy.