Composition 1918

Fernand Léger made this painting using oil on canvas, creating a composition of abstract, geometric forms. Léger, working in France, was concerned with the role of art in a rapidly industrializing society. This work reveals a tension between the artistic avant-garde and the new social order of mass production. We see this in the interplay of hard-edged shapes and bold colors. Léger seems to be asking how painting can remain relevant in a world increasingly dominated by machines. His answer was to embrace the aesthetic of the machine age, but also to assert the artist’s unique ability to create order and harmony. To truly understand Léger, we need to delve into the art criticism of his day, to reconstruct the debates about abstraction, realism, and the social function of art that shaped his work. The archives of museums, galleries, and art schools can offer valuable insights into how artists like Léger engaged with the institutions of art.