Arbre et fleur 1945

Fernand Léger rendered this striking composition of tree and flower with gouache and ink on paper. A dance of forms unfolds before us. Léger destabilizes traditional representation by fragmenting and reassembling organic subjects into geometric shapes. Look at the interplay between the solid forms of the tree and the radiating petals of the flower, each rendered with bold outlines and flat areas of color. The stark contrast between the black, yellow, and beige amplifies the painting’s graphic impact, creating a dynamic tension. In this work, Léger seems to engage with the visual language of modern industry and technology, integrating biomorphic shapes with machine-like precision. The image's structured composition can be viewed as a semiotic system. The tree and flower are not merely representations of nature, but signs within a larger cultural discourse on modernity and the relationship between humans and their environment.