The Railway Crossing

Fernand Léger

Informed and inspired by the fledgling Cubism of Picasso and Braque, Léger imbued the movement with a joyousness expressed in curvature and color. He saw machines and industrialisation as subjects just as important as people in his work, and the optimism he felt for the modern age is clear in every brushstroke. This was a study for a larger piece named ‘The Level Crossing’, and the scaffolding, tubular pipes, and signposts depicted take on an almost photo-pop art quality as the industrial workings of a train yard are transformed into a wonderland of bright shapes and shifting perspectives. Trains long represented the beginning of a new age, and in this study for what Léger would consider a portrait of sorts, he elevates the elder statesman of modernity into a beacon of hope for the future, and a triumph of the contemporary age.

Friday 12th June

The Moon moves through Aries, a fire sign, bringing warmth, impulse and activity into the garden. In biodynamics, fire signs are connected with the fruiting parts of the plant, making this a favourable time for tending crops such as squashes, cucumbers, beans, tomatoes and peppers. The Moon is also descending in its sidereal rhythm, drawing the plant’s forces downward into the earth. This makes it a good moment not only for sowing fruiting crops, but also for working around them: hoeing, weeding, loosening the soil, watering where needed, and giving them our attention. Aries can bring a sharp, enlivening quality — a spark that asks us to act. In the garden, this may mean noticing which plants need support, which beds need clearing, and where warmth and care can help fruit begin to form. In life too, Aries reminds us that growth often begins with courage: a small action, a clear intention, and the willingness to tend what we hope will one day ripen.

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