“The Gas Station (Study for the City),” a cityscape artwork created by Fernand Léger, exemplifies the Purism art movement. Measuring 31.6 x 41.1 cm, this piece is housed in the Musée National Fernand Léger in Biot, France.
The artwork presents a stylized depiction of a gas station, characterized by bold, simplified forms and contrasting colors. Two vertical structures, resembling fuel pumps, dominate the foreground. These structures are rendered in vibrant hues of red, blue, yellow, and green, and are delineated by stark black lines. In the background, a car is visible, accompanied by abstract representations of nature, including tree silhouettes and rolling hills under a sky populated with cloud forms. The composition emphasizes geometric shapes and flat planes, indicative of Léger’s commitment to the Purism movement, which sought clarity and order in form.
