Study for The City 

Fernand Léger made this study for *The City* with gouache, ink, and graphite on paper. Léger, who served in World War I, sought to capture the dynamism of modern urban life, specifically the industrialized city’s impact on the individual. Here, geometric shapes in bold primary colors create a sense of depth and movement. The human figures, reduced to simplified, almost mechanical forms, blend with the urban architecture. Léger seems to suggest an evolving relationship between people and their environment. There’s a tension in the composition. The vibrant colors and dynamic arrangement celebrate progress, yet the fragmented forms hint at the potential alienation of individuals within the modern metropolis. Léger aimed to find beauty in machines and factories, once saying: "I am out to conquer… the beauty of the modern world." This study reflects a pivotal moment in art history, capturing both the optimism and the anxieties of the machine age. It invites us to consider the complex interplay between industrial advancement and human experience.