Fernand Léger part 5 – ‘Cirque’ lithographs (2)

This is part 5 of a 5-part post on the works of french artist Fernand Léger (1881-1955). For biographical notes on Léger see part 1. Parts 4 and 5 take a look at a selection of images from Léger's portfolio of lithographs Cirque. For background information on the Cirque works see part 4.

No. 52-53

No. 54

No. 55

No. 56

No. 58

No. 59

No. 61

No. 68

No. 69

No.71

No. 76-77

No. 82

No. 84-85

No. 90

No. 95

No. 100-101

No. 103

No. 105

No. 106

No. 107

No. 108

No. 111

Fernand Léger part 4 – ‘Cirque’ lithographs (1)

This is part 4 of a 5-part post on the works of french artist Fernand Léger (1881-1955). For biographical notes on Léger see part 1. Parts 4 and 5 take a look at a selection of images from Léger's portfolio of lithographs "Cirque." 

"Cirque," published by Verve in 1950, is Léger’s lithographic masterpiece. After Rouault’s "Divertissement" in 1943 and Matisse’s "Jazz" in 1947, although before Chagall’s "Cirque" in 1967, this was the third book on the subject commissioned by Tériade. The latter was of Greek origin and worked as an art critic in Paris, indeed, he wrote the second-ever monograph on Léger in 1928. He founded Verve and became one of the major art publishers of the 20th century. On his return from exile in America in 1945, the painter accepted Tériade’s commission. As he felt that the novella which Henry Miller had initially been asked to write was too dark, he wrote the text himself. There were 300 copies of the 113-page book printed by the famous Parisian lithographers Mourlot Frères. The spoken tone of the manuscript alternates with colourful gouaches and black ink drawings. Léger recycles some of his previous writings and applies his aesthetic of contrasts - which is itself worthy of a cinematographic montage - to the images.

“We are experiencing space more than ever before. Man is growing and expanding in all directions; there's a competition to escape and leave behind all earthly constraints, to flee what is solid and concrete. A nervous mobility is taking over the world. Everything is moving and escaping from traditional constraints. Being a painter and feeling so totally unable to resolve this spectacle on a canvas.” Fernand Léger, Cirque, Éditions Verve, 1950

Cover

Title Page

No. 5

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No. 8

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No. 27

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No. 31

No. 34

No. 36-7

No. 39

No. 42

No. 44-45

No. 49

Fernand Léger – part 3

This is part 3 of a 5-part post on the works of French artist Fernand Léger (1881 – 1955). Parts 1-3 look at Léger's paintings. Parts 4-5 will look at his lithographic series 'Cirque'. For biographical notes see part 1.

1932 Composition with Three Figures

1935 Maude Dale

1937 Le Coq Noir 
watercolour on paper 32 x 36 cm

1942 Dance

1942 The Divers (Red and Black) 
oil on canvas 127 x 148cm 
© Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

1942-44 Acrobats in Grey

1946 Cour de Ferme 
gouache on paper 25 x 35 cm

1950 Builders

1952 Three Sisters

1953 Freedom, I Write your Name 
400 x 300 cm

1954 The Camper

1954 The Dancers 
640 x 510 cm

1954 The Great Parade (definitive state) 
oil on canvas 299 x 400cm 
© 2009 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

1954 The Outing in the Country

1954 The Woman and the Flower

1954 Trapeze Artists 
oil on canvas 392 x 373 cm

I'm afraid these earlier works are out of sequence in the posts - they are late additions, but I thought worth including:

1920 The Disks in the City 
oil on canvas

1920 The Tug 
oil on canvas

1921 Women in an Interior 
oil on canvas

1922 Mother and Child 
oil on canvas