Man in Town 

Fernand Léger made this lithograph, "Man in Town," to depict the experience of modern urban life. It's an experience of fragmentation and alienation. Léger made this print in France, likely in the 1940s, a period marked by post-war reconstruction and social change. The fractured composition, with its bold colors and geometric shapes, creates a dynamic sense of urban space. We can see echoes of Cubism. The figure of the man in town is lost amid the signage, skyscrapers and other urban structures. It's as if the individual is swallowed by the modern city. This reflects the sense of anonymity and displacement that many experienced in rapidly industrializing societies. To understand this work fully, we might consider the broader context of urban planning, social theory, and even literature. The work invites us to reflect on the impact of modernity on human experience. This image should remind us that art is always contingent on social and institutional contexts.