1913-1914
Contrast of Forms
Fernand LégerFrench, 1881 - 1955
This painting is a bold experiment in the underlying mechanics of picture-making. The elements of a conventionally realistic image are present: line, shape, tone, texture, and highlights, or intense reflections indicating the jutting forward of solid forms. Yet Fernand Léger deploys these elements in an intensely anti-realistic way, so that recognizable subject matter falls away and the image separates into a pattern of lines, forms, and colors in dissonant relationships.
For Léger, "contrast" was more than the basic principle for structuring modern pictures; it was also his slogan for everything that was new, dynamic, and creative in modern life. Despite its abstract qualities, Contrast of Forms is a response to those wider phenomena.
This record is part of an ongoing effort to share accurate and evolving information. If you notice anything we should improve, we welcome your feedback at [email protected]
Images on this site are shared for educational use. For image rights, permissions, or to learn more about image rights and access, email [email protected]