L'œuvre en bref

With The builders with aloe, Fernand Léger depicts the modern world of work, a central theme in his work. Close to Cubism in its geometric construction, he develops a personal language here in which human figures are integrated into an architecture of lines and metal structures. The subject of workers reflects his interest in industrialisation and the place of the body in a mechanical environment. The artist does not seek to individualise the workers, but to show their collective action within an organised whole.

The composition is dense and structured by red, black and white beams that cross the surface. Several men occupy different levels, some seated, others in motion. The bodies are massive, simplified, modelled in rounded volumes. The clothing is rendered in flat grey areas, contrasting with the colourful architectural elements. On the right, green aloe leaves introduce an organic form amid the rigid structures. Black outlines clearly define each shape, and the space is constructed by superimposition rather than perspective depth.

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