列哲(Fernand Leger)，二十世纪十大画家之一，是继玛蒂斯，达朗以后陨落的巨星。1881年生于法国诺曼第。十六、七岁拜建筑家为师，任建筑绘图员，后来又做过摄影修改匠，这两份职业影响了他一生的作风。1901年入艺术学校，研课两年即因经济情况停学。1908年他对立体派产生兴趣，构成他画幅上革命的造形。根据几何学把圆形和圆筒形组为“对称形态”。1914年应征入工兵团，参加大战。武器方面的机械动力对其印象甚深。1924年趋向宁静的几何体构图制作影片“机械芭蕾舞”，逐渐造成他在艺坛上“机械之父”的称号，其后三十年中，他扩大空间感觉，强调装饰性描写生物。晚年更把握住物质文明与人间的意味，以雄厚圆浑的笔调，表现二十世纪明快的气息。“建筑的人们”是他在1951年的作品，充分显出他的画是本世纪机械文明的标帜，对于商业艺术和工业，列哲显然是印象最深远的画人。

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Joseph Fernand Henri Léger, one of the top ten artists of the 20th century, is a star that followed in the footsteps of Matisse and Derain. He was born in 1881 in Normandy, France. At the age of sixteen or seventeen, he apprenticed with an architect and worked as a architectural draftsman. Later, he also worked as a photographic retoucher. Both of these professions profoundly influenced his artistic style throughout his life.

In 1901, he enrolled in art school but had to interrupt his studies after two years due to financial constraints. In 1908, he developed an interest in Cubism, which revolutionized his artistic approach. He utilized geometric forms to create "symmetrical compositions," grouping circles and cylinders based on principles of geometry.

In 1914, he enlisted in the engineering corps and served in World War I. The mechanical power of weaponry during the war had a deep impact on him.

In 1924, he ventured into creating the film "Ballet Mécanique," a quiet geometric composition, gradually earning him the title of "Father of the Machine" in the art world. Over the next three decades, he expanded his sense of space, emphasizing decorative depictions of living organisms.

In his later years, he grasped the significance of material civilization and human existence. Using bold, rounded strokes, he captured the vibrant spirit of the 20th century. "The Builders" is one of his works from 1951, illustrating that his art became a symbol of the mechanical civilization of this century. Léger had a profound impact on commercial art and industry, making him one of the most influential artists in this regard.