Fernand Léger

1881 (Argentan, France) – 1955 (Gif-sur-Yvette)

Chagall, Soutine, Laurens, Lipchitz, Jacob, Cendrars and Reverdy were among those he met when he first lived in Paris. He used to meet Duchamp, Gleizes, Metzinger and Delaunay at Villon’s house. He watched Chaplin films with Apollinaire, contributed to a film of Richter’s, crossed Spain with Le Corbusier, and set up an art school with Ozenfant (Exter and Laurencin also taught, with Francis among the students). Cendrars, Milhaud and Massine collaborated, Eisenstein corresponded extensively, and Man Ray helped on a film. He stayed with Dos Passos, and worked with fellow-communists Éluard and Aragon.