Fernand Léger (1881–1955) was a French artist whose innovative work explored the forms and energies of modern life. Born in Normandy to a farming family, he initially trained as an architect before moving to Paris in 1900, where he worked as a draftsman. Rejected by the École des Beaux-Arts, Léger studied independently and was heavily influenced by Paul Cézanne’s geometric approach to form, which led him to develop his own Cubist style by 1909.

Léger exhibited with the Cubists in the early 1910s, creating works like Nudes in a Forest (1909–11) and Composition (1912), which simplified forms into bold geometric volumes. His experiences in World War I influenced a new focus on machinery and urban themes, as seen in The Bargeman (1918) and Mechanical Elements (1920). Through the 1920s, he embraced the Purism ideals of Le Corbusier, combining classical forms with industrial aesthetics. Moving to the United States during World War II, he continued to refine his style, teaching and working in various mediums, from painting to stained glass. Léger’s legacy is preserved by the Musée National Fernand Léger in Biot, France, and his work is held by several other institutions, including the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; Tate Modern, London, England; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; and The Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York. 

Léger’s work was first presented by GRAY in 1966 and has since appeared in Modern and Contemporary Masters, 1992; Forty Years, 2003; and GRAY at 60, 2023.