The Introduction of the Works by Amedeo Modigliani: 38. Portrait of Little Louise (1915)

How are you?

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

The 38th work to introduce for this week is “Portrait of Little Louise (1915)”.

This work is a portrait of an expressionist style and an oil painting on canvas with the size of 74.6 x 51.7 cm. In this work, Modigliani wrote his signature “Modigliani” in top right, “la petite Louise” below the signature, and “Montmartre” in low left.

This work was owned by Paul Guillaume, who was a French art dealer of Modigliani, then, was sold at the auction of Sotheby’s, London in 1986 and is now privately owned.

This work, which Modigliani inscribed model’s name and "Montmartre," is the second version of "Little Louise." It is presumed that the first version which has a different background and smaller size is a sketch of this second version.

First version of Little Louise

This work, which is the second version, is a full body portrait of Louise wearing a black shawl on her shoulder and the same black scarf on her head. 

In order to make the most of the model's presence, Modigliani often painted the same model twice, first in the upper body, then in full body standing or sitting in the same pose. This work I am introducing today was also similarly drawn in two versions.

Looking at this work, the chair in which Louise sits shows an unstable appearance as if it is broken and tilted, and Louise is taking an ambiguous pose that is difficult to distinguish whether she is sitting or standing in such a chair. 

Modigliani enjoyed expressing the model's identity or job with the model's attire. From the point that Louise is wearing an apron and the forearms are thicker, comparing to other parts and for her age, it suggests that Louise is a girl who is not a member from rich family and needs to work hard for her living.

In addition, Modigliani painted empty eyes without pupils, which is one of his representative styles, in this work. But despite not drawing the model's pupils, the model, Louise, looks very warm-hearted and as if she is falling in deep thought. 

In addition, it seems like Modigliani intentionally flipped the shawl covering her neck so that her elongated neck, which is his another representative style, is clearly visible. 

Regarding the composition of the painting, for balancing Louise's face and the chair tilted to the right, Modigliani painted her lower body to the left and the arm in the left side of the painting thicker than that in the right side to balance total composition. In addition, he divided the left side of the background into two so that viewers can feel as if the tilted composition to the right is dragging to the left.

There are other works whose model is presumed Louise. 

Christian Parisot presented a nude drawing, whose model is presumed Louise, in the exhibition of Modigliani held at Municipal house in Prague, Czech Republic in 2010, with his 1914 materials.

In addition, the “Woman (c. 1914)”, which is another drawing by wash and pencil, exhibited at Cincinnati, USA, is presumed another Modigliani's sketch because it has the signature of Modigliani at the bottom right.

Also, as I introduced in the previous work, in the exhibition at the “Isola & Norzi” held by the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Torino in 2012, the museum announced the results of X-rays for Modigliani's 1915 work, “Red Haired Woman”, and commented that another painting, which looks like a portrait of little Louise, was shown below the actual painting.

Thank you.

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