Fernand Léger

Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris
Waddington Galleries, London
Private Collection (acquired in 1989. Sold: Sotheby's, New York, 6th May 2003, lot 32)
Purchased at the above sale by the late owner

Copenhagen, Udsteillet i Kunstforeningen, Fernand Léger, 1951, no. 19
Copenhagen, Charlottenborg, Fernand Léger, Malerier, tegninger og grafik, 1959, no 24, illustrated in the catalogue
London, Gimpel Fils Gallery, Fernand Léger, 1965, no. 24, illustrated in the catalogue

Georges Bauquier, Fernand Léger, Catalogue raisonné, 1938-1943, Paris, 1998, no. 978, illustrated in colour p. 14

The canvas is lined. There is a 3cm. vertical line of retouching in the upper left corner, an area of retouching in the lower left of the background, two small spots of retouching at the bottom of the red shape, and other very small scattered spots of retouching, mainly in the background, visible under ultra-violet light. Overall, this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although the yellow is cleaner and the blue in the lower quadrant is stronger in the original.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

During the late 1930s, Léger's work focused largely on international interior design projects, and his paintings from this period often incorporated the crisp imagery that he devised for these purposes. In 1937, he designed stage sets for the Paris Opéra, as well as decorations for the Trade Union Congress at the Vélodrome d'Hiver and the Transport des Forces for the Palais de Découverte in Paris. Léger continued to work in this capacity in 1938, when he was commissioned to decorate the apartment of Nelson Rockefeller in New York. These various design projects brought forth a particular decorative flair in many of the artist's formal compositions on canvas, including the present work.

 

Léger's compositions executed around this time were populated with images of the natural world, such as butterflies, flowers and underwater plants. In L'Etoile rouge, the dominating form of the red star is combined with the more abstract forms to the left, all painted in strong, unmodulated colours, delineated in black and silhouetted against the flat white background. According to Léger, these are the colours that express the reality of the medium of painting. Rather than imitating nature, the artist was interested in exploring the language of painting in its fullest and purest form, thus reducing his vocabulary to the elements of colour and form. As a result, Léger's composition defies a sense of gravity and transcends the earth-bound nature of a traditional landscape or still-life.