Kneeling Nude c. 1907 - 1908

Fernand Léger made this drawing of a nude, probably with graphite, on paper, and what strikes me is its spareness. The lines are searching, almost like he’s feeling around in the dark to define her form. Look at the way the line describing her back wavers, unsure, before confidently swooping down to form the curve of her buttock. It reminds me that artmaking is a process of discovery, a dialogue between the artist and the subject. The brown paper peeks through, lending warmth and texture. The marks are so minimal but they carry a surprising amount of weight. It feels honest, like we’re seeing Léger’s thought process laid bare. There's an echo of Picasso in the simplification of form, but Léger brings his own, almost industrial, sensibility. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, each artist riffing on what came before, searching for their own way to see and depict the world.