Lot Essay
La Statuette rouge illustrates Léger's observation "I dispersed my objects in space and kept them all together, while at the same time making them radiate out from the surface of the picture. A tricky interplay of harmonies and rhythms made up of background and surface colours, guidelines, distances and oppositions" (see W. Schmalenbach, op.cit., p. 132).
Indeed, in the present work the grey background, motley forms, bright areas of colour and black guidelines combine with the palpable distances between objects, and the contrast between purely formal and representational elements - the statuette and the cigar pack - to create a playful composition based on strong formal constraint.
Léger described it thus: "In this new phase, freedom of composition attains infinity. A total liberty that will permit the production of compositions from imagination in which the creative fancy will be able to reveal itself and develop" (see Schmalenbach, ibid.).
La Statuette rouge has served as a fine example of Léger's work from the 30s in many significant exhibitions. It was chosen for exhibition at the major retrospective held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in 1956 and was most recently exhibited at the Grand Palais exhibition of 1971.
Indeed, in the present work the grey background, motley forms, bright areas of colour and black guidelines combine with the palpable distances between objects, and the contrast between purely formal and representational elements - the statuette and the cigar pack - to create a playful composition based on strong formal constraint.
Léger described it thus: "In this new phase, freedom of composition attains infinity. A total liberty that will permit the production of compositions from imagination in which the creative fancy will be able to reveal itself and develop" (see Schmalenbach, ibid.).
La Statuette rouge has served as a fine example of Léger's work from the 30s in many significant exhibitions. It was chosen for exhibition at the major retrospective held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in 1956 and was most recently exhibited at the Grand Palais exhibition of 1971.