A Disc in the City 1919

Fernand Léger made this painting, A Disc in the City, with oil on canvas sometime in the early part of the 20th Century, and it's a trip. There's a real sense of construction. I love the way Léger builds his forms with blocks of colour. It's not trying to trick you into thinking you're seeing reality, it's paint. The paint sits on the surface, asserting its presence and texture. The red circle with the green and black center feels like a playful abstraction, hovering in this constructed urban space. Look at how the colours butt up against each other. The bold reds, blues, and greens create a vibrant energy that pulses through the composition. It’s almost like a jazzy kind of rhythm. Léger reminds me a bit of Stuart Davis, another artist who found inspiration in the urban landscape. These guys weren't just painting what they saw, they were trying to capture the feeling of modernity, the energy and dynamism of the city. For Léger, I think the process was also the point.