How are you?
Modigliani Institute Korea (MIK) is
currently introducing artworks of Amedeo Modigliani one by one every week.
The 60th work to introduce for this
week is “Portrait of Margherita” in 1916.
This work is an expressionist style
portrait and an oil painting on a canvas with the size of 80 x 40 cm, and in Private
Collection.
Inscribed Margherita, this painting
demonstrates Modigliani's interest in series. Modigliani painted several
portraits of her, including front and profile views of her sitting on a chair
in a pink dress, and her bust in a black dress decorated with a rose.
Portraits of Margherita, front, profile, rose (from left to right)
Some
scholars claim that she is Modigliani's elder sister Margherita from the
model's name. If so, Modigliani has never returned to Italy since the summer of
1913, so in terms of the time he painted it means that he painted her from memory.
At that time, the model fee for professional models was too expensive,
especially after the outbreak of the war, it was even too difficult to find a
model. Modigliani, who was difficult to find a model, may have painted his
sister from his memory, but since he painted the same model as series in the
same year, it is more likely that it is a real model whose name is Margherita.
He may also have written the model's name in Italian because he missed his
sister in hometown.
One of the paintings of Margherita was exhibited in Modigliani's
only one solo exhibition for his lifetime. However, it is not known exactly
which of Margherita's paintings was displayed at the exhibition. The exhibition
was held in December 1917 at the Berthe Weill's gallery in Paris, but is famous
for the scandal that caused the exhibition to be forcibly closed by the police
due to nude paintings on the exhibition.
Comparing the three paintings of Margherita,
the portrait of the front view has soft and mild appearance and outlines, and the
character of the model seems like to be mild and gentle.
Margherita seated frontal (1916)
However, in the portrait
of the profile view, it seems that Modigliani emphasized her strength compared
to the front view portrait. For example, very large and dark shiny eyes and
dark lines on the nose, eyebrows and lips stand out. The rest of the model’s
outlines are also drawn in dark black color to emphasize her strong character,
and her hair sculpturally drawn using a brush stick is also one of its unique
features.
Margherita seated in profile (1916)
In the case of the portrait dressed
in black with a rose, her expression looks much sadder and more emotional than
the previous two paintings. The rose on her chest weighs her sad appearance
rather than a feeling that emphasizes splendor.
Margherita with a rose (1916)
Thank you.
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