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Fernand Leger, The Morris Column, Paris, from My Travels, 1970 (after)
1970

$895List Price

About the Item

This exquisite lithograph after Fernand Leger (1881–1955), titled La Colonne Morris, Paris (The Morris Column, Paris), originates from the 1970 folio Fernand Leger mes voyages avec un poeme d'aragon et des lithographies de l'auteur (Fernand Leger, My Travels with a Poem by Aragon and Lithographs by the Artist), published by Production Edito-Service S.A., Le Grand-Saconnex, Canton of Geneve, in collaboration with Editeurs Francais Reunis, Paris, and printed by Production Edito-Service S.A., Grand-Saconnex, Canton of Geneve, 1970. The composition captures an intimate moment between lovers within the context of the modern city, translating figures, architecture, and atmosphere into Leger’s distinctive vocabulary of bold contours, sculptural forms, and vibrant contrasts that celebrate twentieth-century urban life. Executed as a lithograph on velin bouffant des Papeteries de Hauteville paper, this work measures 13.875 x 9.875 inches (35.24 x 25.08 cm). Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. Printed by Production Edito-Service S.A., Grand-Saconnex, Canton of Geneve. Artwork Details: Artist: After Fernand Leger (1881–1955) Title: La Colonne Morris, Paris (The Morris Column, Paris), from Fernand Leger mes voyages avec un poeme d'aragon et des lithographies de l'auteur (Fernand Leger, My Travels with a Poem by Aragon and Lithographs by the Artist), 1970 Medium: Lithograph on velin bouffant des Papeteries de Hauteville paper Dimensions: 13.875 x 9.875 inches (35.24 x 25.08 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1970 Publisher: Production Edito-Service S.A., Le Grand-Saconnex, Canton of Geneve, in collaboration with Editeurs Francais Reunis, Paris Printer: Production Edito-Service S.A., Grand-Saconnex, Canton of Geneve Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the 1970 folio Fernand Leger mes voyages avec un poeme d'aragon et des lithographies de l'auteur (Fernand Leger, My Travels with a Poem by Aragon and Lithographs by the Artist), published by Production Edito-Service S.A., Le Grand-Saconnex, Canton of Geneve Notes: Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), Printing was finished in October 1960 on the presses of Francois Monod. The lithographs of Fernand Leger were shot on the presses of Mourlot Freres under the supervision of Nadia Leger. It was taken from this album, CCLXXXI examples on velin d'Arches, including a single example with an original drawing, the manuscript of the poem and a complete double suite marked UN; V examples with a black and color suite marked from II to VI; V examples with a black suite marked from VII to XI; CCL examples marked from XII to CCLI and XXX non-commerce examples, marked from H.C. I to H.C. XXX. This second edition, 25 x 35 cm, was drawn with permission Editeurs Francais Reunis, a Paris, on velin bouffant des Papeteries de Hauteville. Production Edito-Service S.A. Geneve, printed in Italy. About the Publication: Fernand Leger mes voyages avec un poeme d'aragon et des lithographies de l'auteur (Fernand Leger, My Travels with a Poem by Aragon and Lithographs by the Artist) is a richly conceived international edition that reinterprets one of Leger’s most engaging artistic collaborations, uniting poetry by Louis Aragon with a vibrant suite of lithographs created by Leger during his explorations of modern life and global culture. Conceived and issued by Production Edito-Service S.A., with additional authorization from Editeurs Francais Reunis, Paris, the album traces Leger’s journeys through cities such as Paris, New York, Chicago, Prague, and sites across France and the Americas, translating observations of industry, architecture, leisure, and labor into his distinctive visual language of cylinders, scaffolds, planes, and bold silhouettes. The imagery, originally conceived in the spirit of the livre d'artiste, here appears in a revised format designed for an international readership, maintaining the vitality of Leger’s forms while framing them within a more accessible, portable album format. Drawing on the technical expertise of mid-century European printers and publishers, the edition exemplifies the collaborative network that connected French modernism to a broader global audience, with Aragon’s poetic text providing a lyrical counterpart to Leger’s graphic inventions. The publication reflects the mid-century trend of reissuing important artist albums in revised formats for international audiences, preserving the integrity of the original lithographs while situating them within a fresh editorial framework. The publication mirrors the elaborate editioning practices common in French and Swiss collaborative printmaking during the postwar era. Today, the album is valued for its synthesis of literature, visual art, and cultural geography, revealing Leger’s fascination with the modern world and his continuing influence on the evolution of the artist’s album. About the Artist: Fernand Leger (1881–1955) was a French painter, sculptor, and filmmaker whose pioneering fusion of modern life, mechanization, and visual abstraction made him one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Emerging from the Cubist movement, Leger developed a highly personal style distinguished by bold contrasts, cylindrical forms, and rhythmic compositions that celebrated the beauty of industrial progress and the vitality of modern urban life. Deeply influenced by the innovations of Paul Cezanne and the structural experimentation of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, Leger transformed Cubism’s fragmented perspective into a dynamic, machine-age aesthetic that bridged fine art, architecture, and design. His work often depicted workers, machinery, and everyday objects as monumental symbols of harmony between humanity and technology, reflecting both his optimism for modernity and his belief in the democratization of art. During his career, Leger was part of an extraordinary artistic circle that included Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—visionaries who shared his commitment to pushing the boundaries of artistic form and expression. A leading figure in the international avant-garde, Leger also explored large-scale murals, public art, and film, expanding the reach of modern art beyond the gallery. His works are represented in major museum collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Guggenheim, where they continue to inspire admiration for their bold geometry, humanist vision, and timeless modernity. The highest price ever paid for a Fernand Leger artwork is approximately $70 million USD, achieved in 2017 at Christie’s New York for Contraste de formes (1913). Fernand Leger La Colonne Morris Paris, Leger Mes Voyages, Leger Aragon collaboration, Leger 1970 lithograph, Leger velin bouffant, Leger Production Edito-Service, Leger modernist print, Leger collectible lithograph.

Creation Year:
1970
Dimensions:
Height: 13.78 in (35.01 cm)Width: 9.84 in (25 cm)
Medium:
Lithograph
Movement & Style:
Modern
After:
Fernand Léger (1881-1955, French)
Period:
1970-1979
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Southampton, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1465214473242