Fernand Leger

The aesthetics of modernity had long been a key element of Léger's work, but this fascination took on an even sharper edge in the midst of vast reconstruction projects following the Second World War. The spectacle of electricians working on a pylon in the countryside proved to be especially important; Léger was captivated by the contrast between the organic forms of nature and the rigid geometry of the metal girders. In the early 1950s he produced an acclaimed series of paintings that celebrated the builders who were reshaping the landscape of France.

After joining the French Communist Party in 1945, Léger chose to focus on the human figure as his primary subject, in order to make his work accessible to as many people as possible. In previous decades the figures in his paintings seemed impersonal and mechanised, but in these late images they assert their presence as living individuals. Léger was determined to forge a connection with the working man, and he chose to hang his Constructeurs paintings in the canteen of the Renault factory at Boulogne-Billancourt.

This important print boasts a fascinating provenance. It features a personal dedication to Aubrey Pankey, the noted American baritone. After moving to Europe in 1930, he spent six years living in Paris, holding concerts that were attended by noted politicians and public figures. He broke into French radio after an introduction from the widow of former President Georges Clemenceau, and also worked as an actor. His dedication to racial equality and support for left-wing political causes made him a fellow traveller for Léger, but also aroused suspicions from the US House Un-American Activities Committee. In 1956, he emigrated to East Germany, where he would reside until his death in 1971.

This fabulous artwork, dedicated by one great artist to another, is not only a Modernist masterpiece but a fascinating historical document. It is one of only three aquatints in Léger's oeuvre.

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