La Grande Margot 1951

Fernand Léger made this print, "La Grande Margot," using lithography. In post-war France, Léger sought to create an art accessible to all, celebrating the common person. "La Grande Margot" may be seen in this light, depicting an anonymous woman, but it is also connected with the history of art institutions. The title alludes to a 17th-century painting attributed to Rubens, which was much copied and became a popular image of the “ugly woman” type. Léger’s print presents a starkly different figure, monumental and solid, made from simple lines and colours. Is this Léger’s way of democratizing the concept of beauty? Is he making a modern version of the old painting for a new mass audience? As art historians, we must ask questions like these while also examining popular imagery of the time to understand how Léger sought to challenge existing social norms and high art traditions.