Jeux 1929

Fernand Léger’s “Jeux” presents us with a dynamic interplay of geometric forms and everyday objects. Léger’s canvas is a playground of color, shape, and texture, where representation and abstraction collide, evoking a sense of playful ambiguity. The painting’s composition is structured by a grid-like arrangement of colored planes – browns, yellows, and whites – upon which various elements are overlaid. We see playing cards, a striped form, and a bell-like object, all rendered with Léger’s signature precision. The word “Jeux,” French for games, is stenciled onto a yellow shape, signalling the artwork's thematic focus. Léger uses the objects as signifiers rather than to represent literal objects. Léger’s “Jeux” functions as a semiotic system, where objects become signs divorced from their original context. Through this approach, Léger invites us to question the nature of representation itself, challenging fixed meanings and embracing the fluidity of interpretation.