Original lithographic poster, printed by Mourlot, Paris. Designed for the Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.

Le Travail (“Work”) reflects Fernand Léger’s engagement with the visual structure of modern life rather than a literal depiction of labour. Figures, tools, and architectural elements are reduced to bold, simplified forms, with bands of colour used to emphasise rhythm, balance, and visual impact over narrative clarity.

Léger believed modern art required a language suited to the industrial age. His interest lay in translating human presence into systems of form and movement, integrating the body into design rather than describing it directly. The abstracted shapes and ambiguous spaces suggest organised energy and activity without explicit illustration.