Femme nue 1921

Fernand Léger made this pencil drawing, Femme nue, by layering strokes to build up tone. Look at how he renders his subject into geometric forms! The texture of the paper peeks through the graphite, lending a rough quality to the sleekness of the lines. It's almost like Léger is making a machine, but from flesh and bone. See how the gradations of light and shadow give the figure volume and weight, grounding it in a sculptural form. The light and dark tones create depth, but also flatten the figure, pushing it forward. The crossed arms, rendered as bold, triangular shapes, are particularly striking. They appear both protective and assertive, adding to the complex emotional landscape of the work. It reminds me a little of Picasso's early cubist portraits but with a more industrial feel. Artists are always in conversation with each other, taking, borrowing, and responding to ideas across time. It is not about answers, but embracing the questions.