The artwork titled “Smokers” by Fernand Leger was created during the years 1911 to 1912. This oil on canvas piece measures 129.5 by 96.3 centimeters and embodies the artistic vision of the Cubism movement. As a genre painting, it captures an aspect of everyday life and is currently housed at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.
“Smokers” manifests the cubist style through its fragmented forms, geometric shapes, and the merging of the foreground with the background, characteristics typical of Cubism which sought to break with traditional perspectives in art. The color palette is relatively muted, with earth tones punctuated by areas of red, green, and blue. There is a sense of deconstructed reality where the faces and objects intermingle, creating a complex and layered composition. The subject matter appears to be revolving around the social act of smoking, indicated by the pipes and the cloud-like forms that may represent smoke. Despite the abstract nature of the artwork, the viewer can discern elements of the human form and the act of smoking, suggesting a dynamic interaction between the figures. The overall impression is one of rhythm and interconnectedness, hallmarks of Leger’s work during his foray into Cubism.
