Lot Essay
It was natural that Léger should wish to produce an illustrated book on the theme of 'La Ville'. La Ville is the city of Paris which was the source of constant inspiration for his work - The Moulin-Rouge, La Coupole, the street-sellers, card players, lovers, the river with its boats...
'Souvenirs de la vie qui se mêlent à ceux de l'oeuvre et qui évoquent l'univers de sa peinture, son monde à lui, le monde qui est la vie même' (Hommage à Tériade, p. 123).
Léger worked on the project from 1954, first producing the designs as gouaches. Following his death in 1955 the lithographs were completed by Mourlot Frères.
'Souvenirs de la vie qui se mêlent à ceux de l'oeuvre et qui évoquent l'univers de sa peinture, son monde à lui, le monde qui est la vie même' (Hommage à Tériade, p. 123).
Léger worked on the project from 1954, first producing the designs as gouaches. Following his death in 1955 the lithographs were completed by Mourlot Frères.