La joconde aux clés 1930

Fernand Léger made this painting, La joconde aux clés, using oil on canvas. It's wild how he takes something as recognizable as the Mona Lisa and tosses it into this whole new world of shapes and forms. The yellow background feels slapped on, like a quick decision that sets the whole tone. Léger's not trying to hide the process here, right? I mean, look at those keys – they're practically jumping out at you, all clunky and white against the softer rendering of the Mona Lisa herself. There's this one spot, where the blue from that target-looking shape bleeds a little into the yellow, and it's like a tiny accident that makes the whole thing sing. It reminds me a bit of Picabia, actually, how he wasn’t afraid to throw everything into the mix and see what sticks. It's all about embracing the mess, isn't it?