Nadia Léger

Modern Masters Tapestries selection by Didier Marien

Nadia Léger tapestries embody the bold, abstract vision of this influential avant-garde artist from Belarus, who studied under Kazimir Malevich and later became both student and wife of Fernand Léger in Paris. Her artistic career spanned painting—marked by evolving abstract and figurative styles—magazine publishing, and active engagement in the Parisian avant-garde. Notably, she extended her geometric compositions into the medium of Aubusson tapestries, such as Formes géométriques, working closely with workshops to translate her distinct artistic language into monumental textile form.

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Nadia Léger tapestries

Nadia Léger tapestries reflect the bold, geometric style of a significant—though often overlooked—avant-garde artist of the 20th century. Born Nadia Khodossievitch in 1904 in what is now Belarus, she began her artistic journey studying under Kazimir Malevich in Smolensk and later at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. In 1925, driven by a desire to explore new artistic horizons, she moved to Paris, a vibrant center of modernist experimentation. There, she became both student and assistant to Fernand Léger at his Académie Moderne, eventually marrying him in 1952.

Her early work was shaped by Suprematism, Cubism, and Purism, and she actively participated in the Parisian avant-garde, exhibiting alongside leading artists and co-founding the Franco-Polish magazine L’Art contemporain. Over time, her style evolved, blending abstraction and figuration in a distinctive “clash of contrasts” marked by bold colors and geometric forms.

After Fernand Léger’s death, she played a key role in preserving and promoting his legacy, notably contributing to the creation of the Fernand Léger Museum in Biot. Her connection to Aubusson is rooted in her lifelong interest in exploring new mediums. In the 1960s, she collaborated with artisans at the Atelier d’Aubusson to create large-scale wool works, such as Formes géométriques, translating her abstract compositions into monumental textile art. These Nadia Léger tapestries exemplify her continued engagement with avant-garde ideals and her unique artistic vision.