Children in the bird 1953

Fernand Léger created this artwork, ‘Children in the Bird,’ using ceramic tiles. Léger lived through both World Wars, profoundly impacting his art. After serving in WWI, he became fascinated by machinery and the modern industrial world. During this time many artists grappled with questions of how to represent the human body, especially in relation to machines. Léger once said, "I am for the human figure...but the human figure must not be classic.” Here, the human form is simplified and stylized, as are the natural elements of a bird, a tree, and a flower. The children are ambiguously gendered; their identities are both universalized and abstracted, suggesting a connection to nature and the industrial world. The bold lines and bright colors are striking, yet there is a playful, dreamlike quality. Léger's unique vision suggests a hopeful image of humanity coexisting with technology and the natural world.