Fernand Léger

Architectural Composition

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Fernand Leger (1881–1955), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the album Douze Contemporains (Twelve Contemporaries), originates from the 1959 edition published by Editions d'art du lion, Paris, and Boston Book and Art Shop, Inc., Boston, rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris, and printed by Atelier Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, December 1959. The work captures Leger's bold geometric visual language and his celebration of modernity, distilling mechanical rhythm and sculptural clarity into a composition emblematic of his innovative machine-age aesthetic. Executed as a lithograph and pochoir on velin paper, this work measures 13.25 x 18.25 inches (33.7 x 46.4 cm). Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. The edition exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of Atelier Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: After Fernand Leger (1881–1955) Title: Sans titre (Untitled), from the album Douze Contemporains (Twelve Contemporaries) Medium: Lithograph and pochoir on velin paper Dimensions: 13.25 x 18.25 inches (33.7 x 46.4 cm) Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued Date: 1959 Publisher: Editions d'art du lion, Paris, and Boston Book and Art Shop, Inc., Boston Printer: Atelier Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the album Douze Contemporains (Twelve Contemporaries), published by Editions d'art du lion, Paris, and Boston Book and Art Shop, Inc., Boston; rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris; printed by Atelier Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, December 1959 Notes: Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), This album finished printing in December 1959 drawn to CMLXX examples numbered from I to CMLXX and XXX non-commerce examples numbered from I to XXX, was directed by Daniel Jacomet. Typography of L'Imprimerie Union in Paris. About the Publication: Douze Contemporains (Twelve Contemporaries), published in 1959 by Editions d'art du lion in collaboration with Boston Book and Art Shop, Inc., is a landmark example of mid-century French printmaking, bringing together leading modern artists in a unified portfolio of lithographs and pochoirs. The album exemplifies Jacomet's meticulous approach to color separation and hand-stenciled execution, preserving the tonal richness and structural clarity of each composition. Issued in a substantial edition of numbered and non-commerce impressions, the publication reflects the vitality of postwar Parisian art and the technical excellence of Daniel Jacomet, whose workshop played a central role in the preservation and dissemination of twentieth-century modernist imagery. About the Artist: Fernand Leger (1881–1955) was a French painter, sculptor, and filmmaker whose pioneering fusion of modern life, mechanization, and visual abstraction made him one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Emerging from the Cubist movement, Leger developed a highly personal style distinguished by bold contrasts, cylindrical forms, and rhythmic compositions that celebrated the beauty of industrial progress and the vitality of modern urban life. Deeply influenced by the innovations of Paul Cezanne and the structural experimentation of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, Leger transformed Cubism's fragmented perspective into a dynamic, machine-age aesthetic that bridged fine art, architecture, and design. His work often depicted workers, machinery, and everyday objects as monumental symbols of harmony between humanity and technology, reflecting both his optimism for modernity and his belief in the democratization of art. During his career, Leger was part of an extraordinary artistic circle that included Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—visionaries who shared his commitment to pushing the boundaries of artistic form and expression. A leading figure in the international avant-garde, Leger also explored large-scale murals, public art, and film, expanding the reach of modern art beyond the gallery. His works are represented in major museum collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Guggenheim, where they continue to inspire admiration for their bold geometry, humanist vision, and timeless modernity. The highest price ever paid for a Fernand Leger artwork is approximately 70 million USD, achieved in 2017 at Christies New York for Contraste de formes (1913). Fernand Leger print...

Composition is a screen print realized after Fernand Léger in the mid-20th Century. Monogrammed in plate and hand numbered in pencil lower right. The composition is part of a colle...

This exquisite lithograph after Fernand Leger (1881–1955), titled Composition aux trois cles (Composition with Three Keys), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 79-81, originates from the 1955 edition published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1955. This composition exemplifies Leger’s rhythmic balance of color, form, and movement, translating the mechanical vitality of modern life into a harmonious, humanized geometry. Executed as a lithograph on velin paper, this work measures 15 x 22 inches, with centerfold as issued. Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the superb craftsmanship of Mourlot Freres, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: After Fernand Leger (1881–1955) Title: Composition aux trois cles (Composition with Three Keys), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 79-81 Medium: Lithograph on velin paper Dimensions: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.88 cm), with centerfold as issued Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued Date: 1955 Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 79-81, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris; printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1955 About the Publication: Derriere le miroir (Behind the Mirror) was one of the most important art publications of the 20th century, created and published by Maeght Editeur in Paris from 1946 to 1982. Founded by the visionary art dealer and publisher Aime Maeght, the series served as both an exhibition catalogue and a work of art in its own right, uniting original lithographs by leading modern and contemporary artists with critical essays, poetry, and design of the highest quality. Printed by master lithographers such as Mourlot Freres and Arte, Derriere le miroir became synonymous with the artistic vanguard of postwar Europe. Each issue was devoted to a single artist or theme and published to accompany exhibitions at the Galerie Maeght in Paris, featuring works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, and Alberto Giacometti, among others. The publication reflected Maeght's belief that art should be both accessible and elevated—an ideal realized through its luxurious production values, meticulous printing, and collaboration with the greatest creative minds of its time. About the Artist: Fernand Leger (1881–1955) was a visionary French painter, sculptor, designer, and filmmaker whose groundbreaking fusion of modern industry, vivid color, and geometric form transformed the course of 20th-century art. Born in Argentan, Normandy, Leger began as an architectural draftsman before studying at the Academie Julian and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he absorbed the lessons of Paul Cezanne’s structural rigor and the revolutionary ideas of Cubism. Alongside Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, he became one of the leading innovators of the avant-garde, yet his work stood apart through its embrace of mechanical rhythm, bold contrasts, and industrial modernity—earning him the title “the painter of the machine age.” His art celebrated the beauty of technology, urban life, and the human form rendered in dynamic, interlocking cylinders and planes, evoking the pulse of the modern world. Immersed in the vibrant Parisian art scene, Leger worked in dialogue with peers and contemporaries such as Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, all of whom shared his commitment to innovation and the reimagining of artistic expression. Beyond painting, Leger’s creative reach extended into film, design, and monumental public art—his 1924 collaboration on Ballet Mecanique with Dudley Murphy and Man Ray remains a landmark of avant-garde cinema. His later works evolved toward greater clarity and monumentality, celebrating the unity of form, color, and humanity through large-scale murals and mosaics that bridged fine art and architecture. Leger’s synthesis of Cubism, Futurism, and abstraction paved the way for movements such as Pop Art and influenced generations of artists including Roy Lichtenstein, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Indiana, and Alexander Calder, who admired his fusion of structure, energy, and optimism. Today, his works are prized by major museums and collectors worldwide for their bold visual power and enduring modernity. His highest auction record was achieved by La femme en rouge et vert (1914), which sold for 39,241,000 USD at Sotheby’s, New York, on May 7, 2008. After Fernand Leger Composition aux trois cles 1955, Leger Derriere le miroir No. 79-81, Leger Mourlot...

Lithograph on vélin paper. Paper Size: 15 x 22 inches, with centerfold, as issued. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Notes: From the folio, Derrière le miroir, Sur Qua...

Gouache and watercolor on paper, 1950. Initialed by the artist "FL" and dated "50" lower right. Exhibition History: Blue Moon Gallery/Lerner-Heller Gallery, New York, "An intimate ...

Utilizing a bold color palette of purple, yellow, red, and black, Léger creates an abstract work in which shapes and forms create a constructive unit. We detect hints of a road, a la...

Aquatint, Engraving on vélin du Lana Papiers Spéciaux pure rag paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition. Notes: From the folio, Du Cubisme, 1947. Published by Compag...

Silksreen Handsigned by the artist in pencil After a gouache. Edition : 113/200 Printer : Jean Bruller (Paris) Catalog : Saphire E10 56.00 cm. x 38.00 cm. 22.05 in. x 14.96 in. (pa...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Fernand Leger (1881–1955), titled Elements mecaniques (Mechanical Elements), from the album L'Art Cubiste, Theories et Realisations, Etude...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Fernand Leger (1881–1955), titled Peinture murale (Mural Painting), from the album Fernand Leger (Fernand Leger), originates from the 1928...