Joseph Fernand Henri Leger was born in 1881 in Argentan, France.

He apprentices with an architect from 1897–1899. Fernand Leger moves to Parisin 1900. Three years later he is refused at the School of Fine Arts, but isadmitted to the School of Decorative Arts. He frequents the Julian Academy andthe Louvre. Leger is employed by an architect, then by a photographer. He paintsimpressionist painting that he will destroy for the most part.

The Cezanne retrospective, in 1906, will impress him durably. In 1908 hemoves to Ruche; here he meets Chagall, Delaunay, Cendrars, Appolinaire,Modigliani and Laurens. In the following year he begins his cubist period. Hiswork interestes Daniel-Henry Kahnvwiller who has already exhibited Picasso andBraque. Leger participates in several collective exhibitions (Salon desIndependants, Salon d’Automne, Salon de la Section d’Or, etc.). He signs anexclusivity contract for 3 years with Kahnweiller in 1913, and participates inthe Armory Show in New York. Summoned to war, Leger becomes a hospital porter onthe Argonne front; he will paint numerous war paintings.

Gassed in Verdun, he is hospitalized, then discharged in 1917. His first soloexhibition is organized in 1919 by Leonce Rosenberg with whom he will sign acontract. In this same year he illustrates Cendrars (« The End of the Worldfilmed by Ange Notre-Dame »), and he marries. Leger works alot, he meets LeCorbusier, discovers Modrian and Van Doesburg, again illustrates Yvan Goll andMalraux, collaborates with Cendrars in the film « The Wheel » by Abel Gance,designs theatre sets and costumes, and gives conferences.

In 1924, with Amedee Ozenfant, he founds the Modern Academy. He paints alarge mural for the french embassy at the time of the International DecorativeArts Exhibition and participates in the decoration of the pavillion of « the NewSpirit » by Le Corbusier. Leger travels to Germany, meets Calder, goes to Spainin 1930 with his friend Le Corbusier, with whom he will also travel to Greece in1933 for the International Congress of Architecture.

In 1934 the Vignon Gallery presents his gouaches and paintings. He discoversAntibes, exhibits, travels again, paints, then again decorates architecturalspaces. In 1935 a retrospective of his work is organized in New York. Theunweary Leger, is exiled to the United States during the war, he there givesconferences (the action of color in architecture), paints murals and decoratesspectacles, lectures at the University of Yale, then at Mills College. Hereturns to France when the war is over and enlists in the french communistparty. He makes mosaics for the church of the Plateau in Assy. Until his deathin 1955 in Gif-sur-Yvette, Fernand Leger will work, creating paintings,drawings, mosaics, decorations, stain-glass, illustrations, sets for theatresand ceramics.