Animated Landscape (Paysage animé, 1er état)
1921
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 50.48 x 64.45 cm (19 7/8 x 25 3/8 in.) framed: 76.7 x 91.4 x 5.4 cm (30 3/16 x 36 x 2 1/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CMC
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Carroll Janis and Donna Seldin Janis
Accession Number
2008.126.1
Art Historical Context
Fernand Léger's *Animated Landscape (Pays animé, 1er état)*, painted in 1921, the artist's signature fusion of Cubism and machine-age dynamism. This oil on canvas, measuring 50.48 x 64.45 cm, vibrantly reimagines a rural scene through bold, cylindrical forms and contrasting colors—hallmarks ofger's "Tubism." Fresh from World War I's industrial upheaval, Léger drew inspiration from modern machinery, animating nature with geometric vigor, as if trees and hills pulse with mechanical life. As a "first state" (1er état), this work represents an early iteration, showcasing Léger's experimental proc...