Composition with Fruit c. 1950 - 1952

Fernand Léger made this bronze relief, Composition with Fruit, sometime in his career; you can see the way he's built up the surface, almost like he's sketching in three dimensions. The textures and patinas in the bronze feel so tactile – you just want to reach out and trace the edges of those geometric forms. I love how the light catches the surfaces differently, depending on the angle, creating all these subtle shifts and plays of dark and light. Take a look at the rounded form at the bottom; it almost looks like a little owl staring back at you, doesn’t it? Léger's work reminds me a lot of Picasso in that way; they were both trying to push the boundaries of representation and explore new ways of seeing the world. But while Picasso was all about fracturing and fragmentation, Léger was more interested in these strong, bold shapes and the interplay between them.