How are you?
Modigliani Institute Korea (MIK) is
currently introducing artworks of Amedeo Modigliani one by one every week.
The 52nd work to introduce for this
week is “The Pretty Housewife” in 1915.
This work is a portrait of an
expressionist style and an oil painting on canvas with the size of 110.5 x 49.8
cm. It is currently possessed by Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, USA.
The Barnes Foundation Museum
The work I introduce today is also a
portrait of a woman doing housework, as “Serving Woman (La Fantesca)” I previously
introduced. However, La Fantesca feels
positive, hopeful and somewhat bright, but this work is gloomy and depressing in
contrast to the title.
Serving Woman (La Fantesca) (1915)
First of all, the dark brown and
black colors used in the work increase the heavy feeling in the painting.
Unlike La Fantesca, the background was divided based on the center of the work,
and the shelf in the background is balanced with the basket that the woman is
holding.
In addition, the black ribbon on
the woman's head, which is in harmony and balanced with the black attire of the
woman, focuses the viewers' attention on the woman’s slightly faint hair and on
the woman's face at the same time.
Looking at the woman's appearance,
her expression is gloomy and not bright as if she is suffering from harsh and
tough reality, and the pain of life is felt more from her saggy shoulder due to
her hand holding a basket that looks heavy enough to drop soon, and the apron flowed
down.
Also, looking at the woman's whole
body, her forearms look exceptionally thick compared to other parts, and this
seems to reflect the reality which is so difficult and hard. The attitude of
the woman standing straight as if she was frozen seems to reflect the woman's
reality without spare time.
In addition, unlike the ears of the models expressed
by Modigliani in other works, the one ear of the woman, which is hard to
distinguish because it is drawn in the same color as the hair color, and the
almost invisible one eyebrow on the side of her hand holding the basket, seem
to suggest that she is gradually losing herself from harsh and tough reality.
Thank you.
On view Room 21, West Wall, Barnes Foundation, PA, US
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