Le corsage rouge 1922

Fernand Léger made this painting, Le corsage rouge, with oil on canvas, rendering the figures in reds, grays, and yellows, with touches of black and blue. I can imagine Léger in his studio, turning ideas around in his mind. He approaches the canvas, building up layers of paint, and then stepping back to consider the composition and make adjustments. I wonder, what's it like to make figures who look like machines? The painting is quite geometric and the figures rendered as tubular shapes, which feels in line with his fascination with machinery and the industrial age. He seems to be asking: how can painting capture the essence of modern life? I'm drawn to the red shirt, or "corsage," of the title – it brings warmth to an otherwise cool palette. The figures here are reduced to their most essential forms. This reminds us that painting is a conversation across time, and artists like Léger inspire us to see the world in new ways. By embracing ambiguity, we open ourselves up to multiple ways of seeing and experiencing art.