The Introduction of the Works by Amedeo Modigliani: 13. The Portrait of Maurice Drouard (1909)

How are you?

Modigliani Institute Korea (MIK) is currently introducing artworks of Amedeo Modigliani one by one every week.

The 13th work to introduce for this week is “The Portrait of Maurice Drouard (1909)”.

This work is, a portrait of an expressionist style and an oil painting on canvas with the size of 46 x 61 cm, painted by Modigliani in 1909.

The work depicts a man in a black suit with a beard, which is currently in private collection.

The man in the work was Henri E. Maurice Drouard, a sculptor and an illustrator who was born in Paris in 1886 and died in Versailles at the age of 29 in 1915.

When Modigliani met Drouard, he was a popular young illustrator and sculptor.

Modigliani did not use the curve technique, which was used in the “Portrait of Jean Alexandre”, which was introduced previously by Modigliani Institute Korea, but he applied other artistic techniques in this work.

One of them is a combination of colors.

Modigliani was very calculating and thorough in using colors, and he used these colors’ combination to emphasize the theme of this painting while making it attractive.

As an example of this colors’ combination, Modigliani used a lot of black colors and strong blue backgrounds in this painting to enhance the effect that viewers stare at Drouard's blue eyes.

In another technique, Modigliani avoided over-decoration of the painting so that it did not fade the theme of the painting which was intended to express.

Modigliani also liked to use black color in his paintings to further emphasize the theme of his painting.

In particular, like the “Portrait of Jean Alexandre”, which Modigliani painted in a similar period, the black color was used as the color of model’s suit to describe that the model, Drouard, in this work was from a wealthy family and educated.

Another feature of Modigliani's excellent artistic techniques, excellently expressing the character or thoughts of the model in his work, is also well expressed in this painting.

The viewer can easily read the message Modigliani wants to express in the facial expressions of the model in this work.

In other words, from the serious facial expression of Drouard in this painting, the viewer seems to understand that Drouard was facing tough times or in personal trouble.

Thank you.