Composition for a Mural 1945

Fernand Léger painted this oil on canvas, Composition for a Mural. I love that the shapes are simple and the colours primary: red, white, blue. There’s something bold and playful about it all. I can imagine Léger in his studio, maybe taking a break from something huge, and just letting loose on this smaller canvas. Did he want to see how these shapes and colours might work at a larger scale? The red hand-like shape reaching across the canvas is so dynamic, almost like it wants to grab your attention. It's so alive, you can feel the energy he put into it. You see echoes of Léger’s machine aesthetic, but with a freedom that feels totally human. It connects to a long conversation painters have been having through time: How do we capture life, movement, and feeling on a flat surface? How can something be both abstract and totally real?