Le Pot bleu 1939

Fernand Léger made 'Le Pot bleu' in 1933, we think with oil on canvas. It's so interesting to see Léger move away from the geometric rigidity of his earlier work, embracing these slightly wonky, hand-drawn lines. Looking at the way the colours are blocked in, there’s a real physicality to it, especially with that intense blue of the pot against the pale background. And isn’t it amazing how he uses black outlines to flatten and define the forms? It's like he's building the painting out of solid shapes. I’m really drawn to the cracked surface of the pot. The black lines zig zag across the circular form, and somehow that makes the painting feel both grounded and unstable, which is exactly what I look for in a good painting. Léger's use of colour and form reminds me a bit of Stuart Davis, another artist who was all about simplifying and abstracting everyday objects. Both artists help us see the world around us in a new, exciting way.