L’Équipe 1944

Fernand Léger made this painting, L’Equipe, with oil on canvas, and it's full of dynamic energy, you can almost feel the cyclists are about to spring into motion. Look at how Léger applied these thick, bold lines to outline the figures and bicycles, creating a sense of depth and volume. I feel like the artist is having a dialogue between representation and abstraction, as figures are abstracted into simplified forms yet remain recognizable. It makes me think about the beauty and elegance of machinery, in the way it intersects with the human form and the natural environment. I like the overall composition, how the artist places the figures and bikes in a semi-circular arrangement that creates a sense of unity and movement. The limited color palette of blues, reds, yellows, blacks, and whites enhances the painting's visual impact, and speaks to its underlying energy. Léger’s artwork has a rhythm which can be seen to continue across different movements in painting, like an unending visual conversation.