Seated Nude

Seated Nude is a seminal ink on paper drawing created by Fernand Léger in 1913. This French work exemplifies the artist's intense engagement with the principles of Cubism during its most experimental phase, just prior to the full flowering of his unique, mechanized style. The medium of ink on paper allowed Léger to focus exclusively on line and structure, producing a complex visual analysis of the human form.

The composition features a seated female figure whose body is not depicted naturally but is instead broken down into a dense cluster of interlocking, cylindrical, and conical shapes. Léger was in the process of formulating what became known as Tubism during this period, seeking a balance between the Cubist fragmentation of space and the retention of strong, volumetric forms. In this piece, the figure's limbs and torso are rendered almost architecturally, defined by sharp, precise black lines. The application of varying weights of ink and intricate cross-hatching lends the surface a sense of depth and robust, metallic density, highlighting the tension between the organic subject and the geometric analysis.

Created in 1913, the drawing reflects the profound impact of industrial aesthetics on modern art, capturing the restless, dynamic energy inherent in the period’s rapid technological advancement. Léger treated the human body less as a psychological entity and more as a machine built of interlocking components. This drawing documents a critical stage in the artist’s progression toward his later, fully abstracted works. This important historical document of modernist draftsmanship is housed in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Although the original drawing is a singular artifact, related studies and high-quality prints of Léger’s earlier works are increasingly entering the public domain, allowing broader access to the artistic output of this foundational modern master.