Amedeo Modigliani
Born – Leghorn, Italy 1884
Died – Paris, France 1920
After studying in Venice and Florence, Amedeo Modigliani went to Paris in 1906. he never completely aligned himself with any particular movement but his work displayed a diverse range of influences including Cézanne, the Fauves, African sculpture and Cubism. His superb skills as a draughtsman owed more to his Italian heritage, especially to Botticelli and the Mannerists. Modigliani met Brancusi between 1910 and 1913 and, fascinated by sculpture, started to carve. He was forced to abandon sculpture for painting in 1915 when stone dust damaged his lungs, which was already weakened by tuberculosis. The last few years of his life became legendary. Poverty-stricken, he lived with artist friends in Montparnasse, his dissolute life ending when his declaration “I am going to drink myself to death” became a self-fulfilling prophesy. This wistful portrait is of Jeanne Hébuterne, his mistress. Pregnant with their second child, she committed suicide the day after Modigliani died. It is a portrait characteristic of the Modigliani woman, displaying a pronounced oval face, a long neck and sloping shoulders. Through her dark almond eyes and small pursed mouth, he conveys the impression of a graceful and vulnerable person.
Masterpieces:
- Head
- Reclining Nude
Text: The A-Z of Art, Nicola Hodge and Libby Anson.
Books About amedeo modigliani
Modigliani: Beyond the Myth (Jewish Museum)
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Amedeo Modigliani: Portraits and Nudes (Pegasus)
Anette Kruszynski
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Modigliani and His Models
Emily Braun
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