Bolaffi Auctions brings to market, after more than 60 years, a rare work by Fernand Léger

Back on the market after more than sixty years is a rare work by Fernand Léger: Nature Morte (Contraste de formes), created between 1913 and 1914 using the technique of gouache and cardboard on paper brought back on board. The work is the centerpiece of the catalog for Aste Bolaffi ’s upcoming auction of modern and contemporary art to be held on Tuesday, May 13, in the Bolaffi Room at 17 Via Cavour, Turin, and is estimated at between 800,000 and 1.2 million euros.

In the past, Nature Morte was part of the famous Milanese Frua and Jucker collections; it was sold by the Juckers in 1962 through the Brera auction house, which is no longer active, and at the time it reached an exceptional sum, attracting great media attention.

The work is from the period in which Léger developed his personal interpretation of Cubism, oscillating between representation and abstraction, through the famous Contrasts of Forms cycle. This makes it a major piece in the artist’s artistic career, rarely appearing on the market, especially in the rare color version offered by Bolaffi Auctions.

Measuring 62.5 x 45 cm, Nature Morte (Contraste de formes) is signed in pencil at lower right and in brush stroke at lower left. The work is accompanied by authentications from the Fernand Léger Museum in Biot, France, and the Comité Léger in Paris, and has an export license issued by the Italian Ministry of Culture.

The Contrasts of Forms cycle represents a revolutionary phase for Léger’s art and a crucial step in the development of Cubism and abstract art. Through the juxtaposition of essential geometric shapes, such as cylinders and blocks, and the use of primary colors, the artist took the Cubist vision toward pure abstraction, interpreting the frenzy of modern life. With this series, Léger momentarily moved away from figurative representation, focusing on pure composition.

The museum relevance of this work is confirmed by the presence of other works belonging to the same cycle in the permanent collections of some of the world’s most important museums, including the Guggenheim and MoMA in New York, the National Gallery in Washington, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Tate Modern in London, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid.

Alongside this masterpiece, Aste Bolaffi will also present other significant works of international interest at auction. The sale will be preceded by an exhibition open to the public at Bolaffi Auction Group’s various Italian and European venues.

For info: www.astebolaffi.it

Bolaffi Auctions brings to market, after more than 60 years, a rare work by Fernand Léger

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