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Lot Essay
This highly elaborate and exact pencil drawing was executed as part of Léger's preparatory studies for his celebrated La lecture, now in the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (fig. 1).
There are three known full studies for La Lecture, two in the Centre Georges Pompidou and the present work. Pencil drawings were also executed for the reclining nude and for the standing nude. These individual compositions formed the basis for two oils of the reclining nude (G. Bauquier, Fernand Léger, Paris, 1996, no. B.362, sold in these Rooms, 30 June 1999, lot 524, and B.363) and three oils for the standing nude (B. 364, 365, and 366). Each painted with the same rigour and precision as the état définitif itself. The present work shows the figurative composition Léger decided upon for the final painting. The squaring indicates that it was intended to be used to transfer the composition to oil.
Writing about La Lecture Léger said 'Je me souviens quand j'ai apporté à Rosenberg La Lecture, j'étais à court d'argent. Il a regardé le tableau et il m'a dit: 'Mais la femme n'a pas de cheveux? Sois quand même raisonnable, mets-lui en un peu. Elle a l'air écorchée c'est désagréable à voir', et il insistait, mais moi, vraiment, avec la meilleure volonté, je ne pouvais pas mettre de cheveux à la femme. Je ne pouvais pas. À l'endroit où était sa tête, j'avais besoin d'une forme ronde et nette, je ne le faisais pas exprès! Je ne pouvais pas mettre de cheveux'. Although Étude pour La Lecture (fig. 2) shows that Léger did experiment with giving the figure on the right hair, the present work and the final painting show very clearly that Léger ignored Rosenberg's recommendation.
The present drawing belonged to Dr. G. F. Reber, a major Swiss collector of modern art, who in the 1920s bought a large number of works by Braque, Léger, Gris and Picasso. The drawing remained in Reber's collection for three generations.
There are three known full studies for La Lecture, two in the Centre Georges Pompidou and the present work. Pencil drawings were also executed for the reclining nude and for the standing nude. These individual compositions formed the basis for two oils of the reclining nude (G. Bauquier, Fernand Léger, Paris, 1996, no. B.362, sold in these Rooms, 30 June 1999, lot 524, and B.363) and three oils for the standing nude (B. 364, 365, and 366). Each painted with the same rigour and precision as the état définitif itself. The present work shows the figurative composition Léger decided upon for the final painting. The squaring indicates that it was intended to be used to transfer the composition to oil.
Writing about La Lecture Léger said 'Je me souviens quand j'ai apporté à Rosenberg La Lecture, j'étais à court d'argent. Il a regardé le tableau et il m'a dit: 'Mais la femme n'a pas de cheveux? Sois quand même raisonnable, mets-lui en un peu. Elle a l'air écorchée c'est désagréable à voir', et il insistait, mais moi, vraiment, avec la meilleure volonté, je ne pouvais pas mettre de cheveux à la femme. Je ne pouvais pas. À l'endroit où était sa tête, j'avais besoin d'une forme ronde et nette, je ne le faisais pas exprès! Je ne pouvais pas mettre de cheveux'. Although Étude pour La Lecture (fig. 2) shows that Léger did experiment with giving the figure on the right hair, the present work and the final painting show very clearly that Léger ignored Rosenberg's recommendation.
The present drawing belonged to Dr. G. F. Reber, a major Swiss collector of modern art, who in the 1920s bought a large number of works by Braque, Léger, Gris and Picasso. The drawing remained in Reber's collection for three generations.