Maquette pour un foulard 1952

Fernand Léger made this gouache maquette for a scarf, and I love the way he reduces figures to just a few essential shapes, lines and colours. It’s like he’s saying, ‘Here’s the basic kit for a person; now go make it!’ The flatness is so important here. It's almost like cut paper but with the added texture of paint. Look at that black hand—it's such a simple shape, but it feels solid, like a piece of graphic architecture. Then there's the sketchy black outline that gives everything a sense of movement. It reminds me of Matisse's late cut-outs but with a tougher, more industrial edge. Both artists show us how to distill the world into bold, joyful forms, but where Matisse feels like a dance, Léger is more of a construction site! Art’s a conversation, isn’t it?