Fernand Léger
1881-1955 · French · Cubism, Purism, School of Paris
Auction record: $70.1M
Contraste de formes, 1913 · Christie's, New York · Nov 13, 2017
Source: christies.com
Biography
Fernand Léger (1881-1955) gave Cubism its most mechanical and urban voice. His 'Contrastes de formes' of 1913, built from tubular volumes in primary colors, earned him the nickname 'Tubism', and after the First World War he turned to the city, machines and the human figure as a modern, almost industrial motif, later extending his work to murals, film and ceramics. His market is split in two: the rare pre-1914 Cubist canvases and the major paintings of the early 1920s reach eight figures, led by the $70.1 million record of 2017, while later works, gouaches and drawings trade in the hundreds of thousands, with frequent buy-ins for weaker examples.
Recent auction results
| Les Hommes dans la ville (1919)Sotheby's, London | $6.48M | Mar 4, 2026 | heni.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composition (Nature morte) (1914)Christie's, New York | $19.61M | Nov 17, 2025 | heni.com |
| Les trois personnages devant le jardin (1922)Christie's, New York | $8.12M | May 12, 2025 | heni.com |
| Les Trois figures (1921)Sotheby's, New York | $6.24M | Nov 18, 2024 | heni.com |
| Composition avec figure (1930)Sotheby's, New York | $1.8M | Nov 18, 2024 | heni.com |
Market
- Liquidity: Medium
Museums
- Museum of Modern Art, New York
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
- Musée national Fernand Léger, Biot
- Centre Pompidou, Parigi
- Kunstmuseum Basel
Sources
- Christie's, lotto Contraste de formes (citato da Wikipedia)
- Wikipedia, List of most expensive paintings
- HENI News, profilo Fernand Léger
- HENI News, Composition (Nature morte)
- HENI News, Les trois personnages devant le jardin
- HENI News, Les Hommes dans la ville
- HENI News, Les Trois figures
- HENI News, Composition avec figure
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