Composition polychrome 1939

Fernand Léger made this painting, "Composition polychrome," with oil on canvas, at some point in his career. Looking at it, you can tell he was interested in how simple shapes and colors could create a whole world of their own. There's something about the way he uses these flat, bold colors – reds, blues, yellows, greens – and outlines them in black that makes the painting feel like it's popping off the canvas. It's like he's playing with building blocks, stacking and arranging them in a way that feels both chaotic and totally deliberate. That central pillar of black and red, it anchors the whole thing, but then your eye just darts around, trying to connect all the other shapes. Léger was definitely looking at the world around him, the machines and buildings, and trying to distill it down to its essence. It reminds me a little of Stuart Davis, another artist who loved jazz and the energy of the city. But Léger has this unique way of making it all feel so monumental and alive. It’s not about realism; it's about creating a new reality, one shape at a time.