The Evolution of the Three Graces: Léger vs. Picasso in 20th Century Art
Fernand Léger’s Three Women (1921-22) and Pablo Picasso’s Three Women at the Spring (1921) both explore the theme of femininity through abstraction, yet they offer strikingly different portrayals of the female form within the context of a modernizing world. While Léger’s work embodies the mechanical and impersonal forces of industrialization, Picasso adopts a more neo-classical approach, setting his figures in a timeless, almost ancient context. Both paintings, created in the aftermath of World War I, engage with the evolving role of women in society, reflecting broader cultural shifts in the early 20th century. Through their distinct depictions of femininity, Léger and Picasso offer rich commentaries on identity, emotional depth, and the changing social landscape of their time.
The depiction of the Three Graces—Euphrosyne (Joy), Thalia (Bloom), and Aglaia (Elegance)—has captivated artists for centuries. From classical antiquity, where they symbolized beauty, charm, and grace, to the modern era, artists like Picasso and Léger reimagined them through abstraction. The Graces were often depicted as idealized figures of harmony and balance, as seen in Greek and Roman art. This tradition continued through the Renaissance, with artists like Botticelli and Raphael embracing these timeless qualities. However, as modernism emerged, artists began to challenge these idealized portrayals. Picasso and Léger, using the legacy of the Graces, explored the complexities and contradictions of femininity in a fragmented, industrialized world (Cohen).
Léger’s Three Women exemplifies modernism through its abstraction, shaped by his background in engineering and exposure to industrialization. The figures in the painting are fragmented into geometric shapes, their faces devoid of emotion and their bodies reduced to flat planes. This abstraction is intensified by Léger’s use of bold, commercial colors, which highlight the mechanical, impersonal nature of the women. The flatness of the composition, paired with the industrial objects in the background—teacups, books, and other domestic items—reinforces the notion that these women exist as components within a modern, industrialized system. The lack of emotional depth and the absence of interaction between the figures suggest that femininity, in this context, has been reduced to function, devoid of connection or individuality. Léger’s Three Women reflects the dehumanizing effects of modernity, where the female form is stripped of relational complexity and reduced to an object in a mechanized world.
Léger’s portrayal of femininity also aligns with the broader social context of the time, particularly the shifting roles of women in the urban, industrial world. Following World War I, women began to take on more prominent roles in the workforce and public life, challenging traditional concepts of femininity. In Three Women, Léger’s detached and fragmented depiction mirrors the societal transformation in which women, like the figures in his painting, were increasingly isolated and objectified. The lack of emotional connection between the figures speaks to a world where women’s roles were becoming more impersonal and mechanical, as industrialization and urbanization dominated modern life. Feminist readings of Léger’s work often interpret this mechanization of the female body as a reflection of how women were increasingly confined to functional roles within a male-dominated society, where emotional depth and individuality were secondary to their utility.
In stark contrast, Picasso’s Three Women at the Spring presents a more humanistic treatment of the female figure. Although Picasso employs Cubism, his figures are more individualized than Léger’s. The women in Picasso’s painting are still abstracted, but their forms possess a greater sense of volume and dimensionality, retaining a more human quality. The figures’ gestures and body language suggest intimacy and connection, conveying a shared emotional experience. The absence of direct eye contact with the viewer suggests that the women are absorbed in their own world, unaware of being observed, creating a sense of vulnerability and emotional depth. Picasso’s use of softer, more naturalistic lines and rounded shapes gives the figures a sense of humanity that Léger’s women lack. The figures in Three Women at the Spring are emotionally connected, grounded in a more natural and timeless setting, offering a contrast to Léger’s cold, industrial backdrop.
Picasso’s Three Women at the Spring also stands in contrast to Léger’s in its symbolic and environmental context. The spring in Picasso’s painting symbolizes renewal, fertility, and life—qualities often associated with femininity. The background grounds the figures in nature, evoking themes of vitality, continuity, and regeneration. The spring serves as a reminder that femininity, even amidst social upheaval, remains a life-affirming force. This connection to nature contrasts sharply with the industrial, mechanized setting of Léger’s painting, which emphasizes detachment and emotional coldness. In Picasso’s work, the figures are not isolated but engaged in a shared, intimate moment, suggesting that femininity is dynamic, relational, and vital. This portrayal of femininity as grounded in life and emotional depth directly contrasts with Léger’s fragmented figures, which seem disconnected from both each other and their environment.
Picasso’s more neo-classical approach to the theme of femininity further contrasts with Léger’s modernist abstraction. In Three Women at the Spring, the figures’ poses and the overall composition evoke classical ideals of harmony, grace, and beauty, suggesting that femininity, despite the changing times, is rooted in timeless ideals. Unlike Léger’s modern, mechanized figures, Picasso’s women are positioned within a setting that emphasizes their connection to the natural world and classical traditions. This classical treatment of the female form contrasts with the alienating, fragmented depiction in Léger’s work, where the women’s roles seem to be confined to function and mechanical purpose. Picasso’s figures, though abstracted, retain the elegance and grace of traditional depictions of the Graces, suggesting that femininity, while evolving, remains rooted in certain universal ideals.
Léger’s use of abstraction reduces the female body to a system of geometric shapes—squares, rectangles, and curves—that emphasize the impersonal, mechanical nature of modern life. The lack of individuality in his figures, accentuated by the absence of facial features, further distances them from human connection. The flatness of the composition, combined with the lack of depth or perspective, creates a visual world that feels emotionally distant, mirroring the alienation of women in an industrialized world. Léger’s inclusion of everyday objects, like teacups and books, ironically juxtaposes the mechanized abstraction of the women with items traditionally associated with femininity. This contrast may be seen as a commentary on how modern industrialization subsumed traditional notions of femininity and emotional connection, reducing women to mere components in a larger, impersonal system of production.
Picasso’s treatment of the female form, however, retains a sense of emotional presence and natural vitality. While still abstracted, his figures possess a sense of volume and dimensionality, which conveys their individuality and emotional depth. The use of softer, rounded forms and a subdued color palette suggests warmth, intimacy, and connection, which contrast with Léger’s bold, industrial palette. The figures’ body language—slightly turned toward each other, with hands delicately placed—suggests a shared, intimate experience. The spring in the background, with its symbolic connection to life and renewal, reinforces the notion that femininity is dynamic, relational, and deeply connected to nature. In Picasso’s Three Women at the Spring, femininity is portrayed as an enduring, vital force, grounded in emotional depth and human connection, in direct contrast to Léger’s impersonal, fragmented figures.
Both Léger and Picasso’s portrayals of femininity are responses to the broader social and historical context of the 1920s, a time of profound social and cultural transformation. Following the devastation of World War I, women began to take on more active roles in the workforce and in public life, challenging traditional gender norms. Léger’s impersonal, mechanized figures reflect the growing sense of alienation in a world increasingly dominated by industrialization and technology. His abstraction of the female form suggests that modern life, with its focus on efficiency and productivity, has reduced women to mere components of a larger, dehumanizing system.
In contrast, Picasso’s more humanistic portrayal of women in Three Women at the Spring reflects a different perspective on femininity in the changing social landscape. While still abstracted, Picasso’s women retain a sense of agency and emotional depth, suggesting that femininity remains a force of vitality and renewal. The spring, as a symbol of life, underscores the notion that femininity is a force of continuity and regeneration, not diminished by the social upheavals of the time. Picasso’s work emphasizes the relational aspects of femininity, presenting women not as passive objects within a modern, mechanized world but as active participants in their own emotional and social experiences.
In comparing Three Women by Fernand Léger and Three Women at the Spring by Pablo Picasso, the contrasting approaches to femininity reveal how the role of women in society and the impact of modernity shaped artistic expression in the early 20th century. Léger’s work, with its emphasis on abstraction and mechanical aesthetics, presents a fragmented vision of femininity, reflecting the dehumanizing effects of industrialization. Picasso’s painting, by contrast, offers a more intimate and emotional portrayal of femininity, emphasizing emotional depth, individuality, and connection. Both artists engage with the legacy of the Three Graces, but through their distinct treatments, they reinterpret this timeless theme to reflect the evolving ideals of beauty, identity, and the role of women in a rapidly changing world.
Works Cited
Cohen, Alina. "The Three Graces Have Inspired Centuries of Artists, from Botticelli to Picasso." Artsy, 25 Apr. 2019, artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-three-graces-inspired-centuries-artists-botticelli-picasso.
Francis, Jane. "The Three Graces: Composition and Meaning in a Roman Context." Greece & Rome, vol. 49, no. 2, 2002, pp. 180-198.
Shanahan, Maureen G. Forging Men and Manufacturing Women: Fernand Léger's Mechanical Arts. University of Michigan, 2000.
Price, Mo. "The Missing Mécanicienne: Gender, Production and Order in Léger's Machine Aesthetic." Work and the Image, Routledge, 2018, pp. 103-124.
Fernand Léger, Three Women, 1921-22
https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79078
Pablo Picasso, Three Women at the Spring, Fontainebleau, summer 1921