Artist Fernand Léger’s oil on canvas painting, Three Women (Le Grand Dejeuner) from 1921, is a classic example of the Classical Revival in modern art. The painting’s simplified forms signify Leger’s return to the classical style in the 1920s, with Three Women considered to be his masterpiece of his mechanical period. The painting uses machine-like precision to create a smooth yet solid form that references western painting history and stars nods to Futurism.
Léger was well-regarded as the forerunner of Pop Art styles and turned away from dynamic mechanical cubism towards a more ordered figural style. In this specific piece, he provides a modernized interpretation of the reclining nude theme, resulting in smooth forms that are created precisely and reminiscent of technology.
Three Women paints three main women using streamlined forms with bold outlines and emphasizes their fully curvaceous figures only separated by proportions each character boasts. This implies an innovative stylistic approach used sparingly by other artists during that period which make it unique in French art history.
In summary, Fernand Leger’s masterpiece stands out as one of Western art’s essential works for its successful execution in combining classical elements with modern innovation without losing its charm-rich details.
