Three sisters 1952

Fernand Léger made this oil painting, Three Sisters, with clean edges, and a palette of ochre, blue, and red, and a little bit of everything else. Léger seemed to understand artmaking as a process that embraces diverse elements. The color is opaque, laid down in discrete blocks, but the composition feels fluid. The blue background brings out the flesh tones of the figures, while the red of the flowers and accordion adds warmth. Look at the hand holding the bouquet! The way Léger painted it makes it seem like it's both part of the body and separate from it. This hand isn't just holding flowers; it's asserting its presence. It's a bold statement that speaks to the overall theme of unity and diversity. Léger reminds me of someone like Elizabeth Murray, who also combined abstraction and representation in playful ways, creating a conversation across generations. Art is not about answers but about the questions we ask along the way.