Fernand Léger

Lionel Prejger, Paris
Heinz Berggruen, Paris (acquired from the above)
Natalie Seroussi, Paris (and sold: Christie's, London, December 4, 1984, lot 198)
Harvey Lubitz, New York (acquired at the above sale and sold: Sotheby's, New York, November 19, 1986, lot 68)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Paris, Berggruen & Cie, Léger, huiles, aquarelles et dessins, 1975, no. 2, illustrated in color in the catalogue
Paris, Berggruen & Cie, Léger, gouaches, aquarelles & dessins, 1979, no. 2, illustrated in color in the catalogue

Paul Dermée, Spirales: Poêmes, Paris, illustrated on the cover
Jean Cassou & Jean Leymarie, Fernand Léger, Dessins et gouaches: Nouvelle édition, 2012, no. 404, http://www.legerdessinsetgouaches.com/tableaux/composition-aux-elements-mecaniques-2/ (accessed on October 9, 2016)

The work is in very good condition. The linen is laid down to board. The surface appears clean and the pigment is strong.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Legér executed Composition aux eléments mécaniques circa 1917-18, on the cusp of his stylistic period known for the mechanization of forms. The recurring interchangeable geometric elements—the cone, cylinder, and disk—create lines, planes and volumes that coexist harmoniously and are presented to the viewer from multiple perspectives, creating a lively and engaging composition.

Within the present work the interplay and placement of the forms creates a strong sense of movement. As Léger described, “I placed objects in space so that I could not place an object on a table without diminishing its value. I selected an object, chucked the table away. I put the object in space, minus the perspective. Minus anything to hold it there. I then had to liberate colour to an even greater extent” (quoted in Dora Vallier, "La Vie Fait l’oeuvre de Fernand Léger" in Cahiers d’Arts, no. 2, Paris, 1954, pp. 152–53). Here, the forms appear to be floating, orbiting around each other free from any natural setting.

Composition aux eléments mécaniques was executed on a book cover of a copy Paul Dermée’s Spirales published in 1917. Dermée was a Belgian writer and poet known for his circle of illustrious young writers and artists—including Léger, Picasso, Juan Gris, and Sonia and Robert Delaunay—whose common artistic style and goals was to explore new avenues of literature and aesthetics. Dermée also was known for later diffusing the “Dada” review throughout Zurich, in exchange for which he received the title of “Proconsul Dada” (R. Bruce Elder, DADA, Surrealism, and the Cinematic Effect, Waterloo, 2013, p. 264).