A painter as well as a filmmaker, illustrator, stage-set designer, ceramicist and printmaker, Fernand Léger was one of the most prolific artists of the first half of the 20th century. His early mature work as a Cubist was marked by the use of bold colors and contrasts and a visual vocabulary inspired by industrial technology. In his later career, Léger turned to idiomatic, almost naïve depictions of human figures, in a belief that his work should be accessible to ordinary people and relevant to their lives.
Born in Normandy, the son of a cattle trader, Léger worked as an architectural draftsman in Paris while studying art. By 1908 he was a member of an artistic circle that included Marc Chagall, Robert Delaunay, sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, and the poet Guillaume Appolinaire, and through them he became connected to the Cubists. As opposed to the flat planes and neutral hues seen in the paintings of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, Léger’s Cubist abstractions were devised with vivid colors and forms that had dimensionality. Soon after his army service in World War I — he was gassed at the Battle of Verdun — Léger entered his “mechanical” period. Convinced that technology would improve the human condition, he painted compositions of tubular shapes and cylinders that are reminiscent of machine parts. In other work, Léger sought to capture the bustle and brio of modern life with references to railroad stations, factories, street signs and billboards.
Léger had also emerged from the trenches with a deep concern to make his art engage the sorts of men and women he had met during the war. He sought to bring his work to a wider audience through film, theater sets and book illustrations. In the 1920s, influenced by Purism — a variant on Cubism that promoted a simpler and more direct approach to forms and compositions — Léger produced a series of paintings depicting everyday objects: a soda siphon, an accordion, a guitar and vase. The human figure returned to his work. By 1930, pure abstraction disappeared almost completely from Léger’s art in favor of simple studies of people. Their boldly outlined forms, placed against a bright background, can be regarded as an assemblage of parts — yet in these representations of dancers, acrobats and folks on bicycles, Léger seems to be articulating a kind of kinship and affection. You will see from the works on offer why Fernand Léger is often regarded as the warmest and most humane of the great modern artists.
Find a collection of original Fernand Léger art today on 1stDibs.
Fernand Léger, Portrait de Femme, Mid-20th Century French Silkscreen
By Fernand Léger
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Fernand Léger (1881–1955) Portrait de Femme, 1954–55 Original mid-20th century French silkscreen print (serigraph) in color on Arches paper. This print bears the blind stamps “F. Lég...
Paint
Mid 20th Century Vintage Boho Original Oil Portrait on Canvas
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This striking vintage oil portrait on canvas captures a timeless expression of character and emotion. Featuring a young man in military attire against a muted green background, the p...
Canvas, Wood, Paint
$15,150
H 19.89 in W 14.18 in D 0.2 in
Unsigned Mediterranean Modernist Oil Painting France Mid-20th Century
Located in Debrecen, HU
This striking unsigned oil painting evokes the spirit of Southern French modernism, with its richly layered, almost relief-like surface, vivid Mediterranean palette, and dreamlike co...
Hardwood
French Harbor Scene Oil Painting, Mid Century, Early 20th Century
Located in Houston, TX
A beautifully atmospheric vintage French oil painting capturing a quiet harbor scene, likely inspired by the southern coast of France. Executed with a confident, impressionistic hand...
Paint
Mid 20th Century Vintage Boho Original Oil Portrait on Board
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Add a touch of soulful vintage charm to your space with this captivating original oil portrait on board. The artwork features an engaging depiction of a young individual, possibly a ...
Canvas, Wood, Paint
$1,006
H 43.71 in W 31.5 in D 3.35 in
French signed 20th Century Baroque Portrait of Madame Louise-Elisabeth of France
Located in Meulebeke, BE
France / 20th century / Painting / canvas and wood / Baroque This captivating 20th-century signed French painting pays homage to the grandeur of Baroque portraiture, depicting Madam...
Canvas
Portrait of an African, 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Portrait of an African, 20th century. Watercolour on paper Evelyne Luez, Paris school. Measures: H: 55 cm, W: 45 cm, D: 1.5 cm. Contact us before ordering to confirm product availabi...
Paper
Mid-20th Century Italian Painting
Located in Chicago, IL
This beautiful painting is from Italy and made circa 1950s-1960s. Made from paint on canvas the painting features a gold wooden frame; artist unknown. Great piece to add color to you...
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Bouquet de Fleurs, 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Bouquet de Fleurs, oil on canvas, 20th century. School of Paris, Evelyne Luez. Measures: H: 73 cm, W: 60 cm. Contact us before ordering to confirm product availability.
Canvas
Woman Posing for a Portrait, 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Woman posing for a portrait, 20th century. Evelyne Luez, School of Paris. Oil on canvas Measures: H: 55 cm, W: 38 cm, D: 2 cm. Contact us before ordering to confirm product availabil...
Canvas
Mid-Century Modern Fernand Leger Style Drawing, Signed, 46x36 in.
By Heidi Melano 1, (after) Fernand Léger
Located in Miami, FL
Large Fernand Leger Style Colored Drawing by Heidi Melano Original drawing executed by Heidi Melano in the manner of Fernand Leger. Heidi Melano executed this drawing during her collaboration with Fernand Leger and prior to her work on the Leger Museum in Biot, France. This beautiful work of art by renowned mosaic artist, Heidi Melano, it would make a great addition to an art collection and enhance most any home, perfect for those who have an affinity for unusual pieces of art. Measures: Depth 0.07 in. x Width 36 in. x Height 46 in. Will enhance any setting. About The Artist: Heidi Melano is a world renowned artist. Her maiden name Heidi Hoegger, she was born in Geneva on April 20, 1929. Granddaughter of the great Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler, she was passionate about art from an early age, she created, painted and lets her imagination speak by expression through different techniques. Very quickly, she wanted to become a mosaic artist. At the age of 23, she won a mosaic competition with her work "La Volière". On this occasion, she meets Lino Melano...
Paint, Paper
20th Century Portrait
Located in Bozeman, MT
Portrait of a man, oil on canvas, unsigned, circa 1950s, Belgium.
Canvas
French Mid-20th Century Oil on Board Painting
Located in Round Top, TX
A very beautiful mid-20th century French oil on board painting entittled "Les Martigues - Bateau A' Voile. A wonderful seascape of a sail boat with its sail in the water. The perspec...
Wood
Fernand Leger "La Racine Grise" after Fernand Leger, circa 1953
By Fernand Léger
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Fernand Leger (French: Feb 4, 1881-Aug 17, 1955) "La Racine Grise" (The Grey Root) Fernand Leger offset color lithograph with pochoir with faint hand sig...
Gold Leaf