In the first picture called Legal Beer Mug, the artist depicts a table with a beer mug on it, which is the central object of the composition. Behind the mug, there are two plates with food. The background of the painting is filled with furniture and kitchen utensils that are mechanized and seem to be depicted in dynamics and movement.
The second artistic work called Compotier avec Fruits, Violon et Verre represents a composition of violin, glass, apples, and pears, that are fragmented by various details (Compotier avec Fruits, Violin, et Verre). Hence, the author has presented several isolated pieces of one subject that have been combined to make up the entire picture.
At a glance, it is difficult to highlight separate objects presented in the composition due to the excess focus on details of the unit rather on its integrity. At the same time, dividing the piece into several elements allows us to find the connection between the details of different units presented in the painting, but differently.
In particular, in the artistic piece by Fernand Leger, there are no distinct transitions between separate objects since the boundaries of one object smoothly cross the other ones. In such a manner, the artist strives to emphasize the integrity of the composition and combine all units into a meaningful whole (Leger Beer Mug).
In contrast, Pablo Picasso’s work focuses on disintegrating techniques that allow the viewers to pay attention to the constituents of one objects through recognizing the typical elements of specific subjects. For instance, the author depicts strings, fiddlestick, and violin structure in isolated planes for the viewers to unite those elements into a single object. In whole, the painting looks like appliqué that is made up of newspaper pictures.
While deliberating on emotional feeling and atmosphere in both paintings, the attention is given to the forms in the painting. In Leger’s composition, the objects and figures are predominantly conveyed through machine-like shapes. Even rounded forms of beer mug are subjected to fragmentation into square elements, which enhances the impulsiveness of the paintings and justifies its cubism origin.
Streamlined forms, firm frontiers, and bright colors are among the most important features of the art form. Although Picasso’s work is not distinguished by bright and contrasting colors, it is also subjected to mechanical representation. Despite these similarities, this painting is more subject to impressionist representation, as compared to machine-like, expressionless objects depicted in Leger’s masterpiece.
In both pictures, the play of color is presented, though there are no light-and-shadow approaches to the pictures. In particular, both artistic pieces are represented in a two-dimensional manner, even though the third dimension is implied. For instance, Leger’s Beer Mug depicts a table in a two-dimensional space, which violates the accepted law for depicting three-dimensional objects.
Three-dimensionality is also absent in Picasso’s composition because the focus is made on the details of the object rather than in rendering the entire object. Despite both painters focus on details, mechanics, and forms, the dynamics, and impression are more peculiar of Picasso’s composition. The cubism trends are typical of Leger’s composition due to the streamlined interpretation of forms and colors.
In such a way, both artists rely on the expressiveness of these two techniques but in a different manner. In conclusion, both pictures provide a sophisticated view of the value of composition in terms of the integrity of one object and its connection with other objects in the picture. Focusing on forms, geometric representation, contrasting colors, and complexity of figures allows the painting to fit in the requirements of the epoch.
Works Cited
“Compotier avec Fruits, Violin, et Verre”. JPG File. n. d.
“Leger Beer Mug”. JPG File. n. d.