The star 1936

Fernand Léger made this painting, simply titled The Star, using oil on canvas. It’s a burst of primary colours, like someone took a child’s building blocks and made a flower. I can imagine Léger playing around in his studio, pushing shapes and colours around until this composition emerged. There are arcs and bold outlines of red, green and yellow sitting on a pale canvas. The paint application looks smooth, no thick impasto here. The star-like form in the middle—is it smiling or is it surprised? Maybe both! It reminds me a bit of other artists who were simplifying forms, like Matisse with his cut-outs. Artists are always in conversation, you know? Léger had a long career, trying out different ways of seeing and representing the world. This one feels playful, like a little visual poem.