How are you?
Modigliani Institute Korea (MIK) is
currently introducing artworks of Amedeo Modigliani one by one every week.
The 22nd work to introduce for this
week is “Standing Caryatid (1913)”.
This work is a nude painting of an
expressionist style and an oil painting on canvas with the size of 81 x 45 cm.
Sculpture was Modigliani's
ambition, and at one time Modigliani thought he was a sculptor rather than a
painter.
His passion as a sculptor is also
evident in his numerous paintings of Caryatid, which was a preliminary work of
sculpture.
When drawing this work, Modigliani
was inspired by sculptures from Etruria as well as those from Africa.
Etruscan art was created by the
Etruscan civilization in central Italy.
And since about 750 B.C., Etruscan
art has been heavily influenced by Greek art imported by the Etruscans, but under
these circumstances the Etruscans have always retained their distinct and
unique features.
Remarkable areas of this Etruscan
art tradition were the sculptures of terracotta (particularly the life size of
sarcophagus or temple), wall-paintings and metalworking
in bronze, as well as a lot of high-quality
jewelry.
For today's work, the features that
are common to ancient Greek sculptures are stronger than the magical feeling of
African sculptures.
It also reveals the primitive and
totem aspects found in “The Kiss” in 1908, a sculpture created by Brancusi, who led Modigliani into the world of sculpture.
Many of Caryatid's works by
Modigliani were the preliminary studies to generate ideas for his later sculpture
works.
Modigliani carved the full sized Caryatid
and the head in stone.
Compared to today's Caryatid work with
the previously introduced Caryatid work, the elongated body, the strong arms
and legs, and the extraordinarily thin waist are the same, but the biggest
difference is the jewelry surrounded the waist and hips.
As I commented earlier, this work
was influenced by Etruscan art, and one of the distinguishing features of
Etruscan art was the production of high-quality jewelry, therefore it is believed
that Modigliani drew the jewelry bands under the influence of such Etruscan art.
These jewelry bands can be seen as
body embellishments, but they were also used as a means of geometrically
dividing the body of the model.
And it looks much more comfortable
in standing and facial expressions than the previously introduced Caryatid.
Her arms extend on both sides of
her head, making her more easily support the weight on her than the previous
work.
Also, the model is not
straightening her both legs, one of which is slightly bent and lies in front of
the other.
It also looks like a preliminary
movement to relax the dancers to make it easier to dance.
As mentioned earlier, Caryatid is a
word "Karyatides” in Greek, meaning “maidens of Karyai”, an ancient village of
Peloponnese.
Those Karyatides ecstatically
danced carrying on their heads baskets of live reeds, as if they were dancing
plants.
Therefore, it is thought that Modigliani
has placed the legs of the model to suggest the meaning of “dancing”, which
means the word itself.
Thank you.
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