Composition 1924

Fernand Léger made this artwork in 1932 using pencil on paper. Looking at this, I can almost feel the artist's hand moving deliberately across the surface, each line a careful decision, a gentle hum. Léger's world here is like a blueprint of a machine, but softened. It reminds me of Picasso, but without the angst. The pencil marks create depth and shadow; the lines are so fine, yet so clear. I wonder if he thought about industrialization and how everything was becoming standardized at the time? The way the circles intersect with the angular forms makes me imagine the gears of progress turning. It's a delicate balance. I appreciate how Léger embraces the mechanical but doesn't let it become cold. Instead, it's like he's finding the human touch within the machine. Artists keep responding to each other, pushing and pulling and always learning.