Fernand Léger Visage aux deux mains (Face with Two Hands), 1954 takes its inspiration from the artist’s personal life. Having been continuously inspired by his wife, Nadia, this work represents her visage which is partly hidden and slightly framed by the manner of her hands and the positioning of the brilliant bands of color which bisect the composition. It is an intriguing and engaging ceramic piece – its low relief of the black line is slightly raised to create a stunning effect.

According to Y. Brunhammer (2005), “The first low reliefs of 1950-52 were inspired by paintings and still lifes painted in 1936, 1937 and 1938 in strongly contrasted colours, in which the object and colour had replaced the ‘subject’ inherited from the Renaissance. These were the years that Léger was exploring mural decoration with his architect friends Robert Mallet-Steves, Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand, and later Paul Nelson, who had moved to Paris, for the Hanging House in 1939. His ceramic work was due to an unusual affinity with Roland Brice, who had moved to Biot in 1949 to work full-time on pottery” (132).

Created in 1954, this terracotta low relief ceramic plaque; white clay with orange, yellow, blue, red, and black glazed enamel is initialed ‘F.L.’ by Fernand Léger (Argentan, 1881- Gif-sur-Yvette, 1955) in black in the lower right. We believe the edition of 250 was never realized.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Fernand Léger Visage aux deux mains (Face with Two Hands), 1954 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).

1. Brunhammer, Y. (2005). Fernand Léger: The Monumental Art. 5 Continents Editions: Milan. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 146. Further discussion on pgs. 132 & 140.

2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.