Le Damier jaune 1918

Fernand Léger made this painting, called *Le Damier jaune*, with oil on canvas sometime in the early 20th century, and right away, you notice how he is playing with shapes and colors like they're building blocks. The whole process feels like an experiment, piecing together an image from geometric forms. Looking closer, you can see how Léger layers the paint, sometimes thick, sometimes thin, creating a push-and-pull effect on the canvas. The texture is smooth, which is interesting considering his subject matter. Take that yellow and black checkered plane, for example. How does it relate to everything else that is going on in the image? It looks like a game board, something that is in motion. That idea is interesting. Léger was part of a movement called Cubism, where artists like Picasso and Braque were breaking down objects into fragments. Thinking about Leger’s work, I wonder if he ever saw any Stuart Davis. I see their shared interest in the geometry of everyday objects. For both, art isn't about copying reality but creating new ways of seeing and experiencing it.