La Femme Aux Cheveux Noirs 1950

Fernand Léger made this striking drawing, La Femme Aux Cheveux Noirs, using bold black ink on paper. It's all about the process, isn't it? How he lays down these decisive lines to create a face, a figure, an idea. I love how the stark contrast pops. Léger isn’t trying to hide anything; the ink is thick, unapologetic, and right there on the surface. Look at the hands framing the face, they almost look like they are pushing against the face, or pulling it into being. You can see how the ink pools in places, evidence of the hand, the pressure, the speed. This reminds me a little of Matisse, how he fearlessly used line to define form. Like Matisse, Léger understands that art is an ongoing conversation. It's not about answers, but about the questions we ask along the way. It invites us to look, to feel, and to keep looking.