Le Vase de fleurs dans l’atelier 1950

Fernand Léger made this oil on canvas painting, Vase of Flowers in the Studio, with clean lines and bold blocks of color. Look at how the shapes and lines come together. I imagine Léger, brush in hand, thinking, "How can I make something new out of something old?" This vase of flowers becomes an arrangement of solid planes, rendered in blue, red, green, and yellow. The paint is applied flatly and evenly, without any attempt to create an illusion of depth or volume. It’s so confident, each shape asserting itself. The black outlines that frame the objects don’t just define them. They seem to vibrate. It reminds me a little of Mondrian, but with a warmth and humor that’s all Léger. Like he's saying, "Let's rebuild the world with colors and shapes, and let's not take ourselves too seriously." Painters are always talking to each other across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. This kind of painting embraces ambiguity, allowing for endless readings and new ideas.