How are you?
Modigliani Institute Korea (MIK) is
currently introducing artworks of Amedeo Modigliani one by one every week.
The 68th work to introduce for this
week is “The beautiful chocolatiere” in 1917.
This work is an expressionist style
portrait and an oil painting on a canvas with the size of 99 x 65 cm, and is in
private collection.
The year Modigliani painted this work is estimated to be 1917, but some claim it was 1916 or 1918. In addition to "The beautiful chocolatiere", this work has several titles, such as "The beautiful confectioner", "The beautiful chocolate maker", "The chocolatiere" or "Seated woman with hands crossed".
Modigliani's signature, which has
no special rules, is in the top right of this work, but the signature of this
work, written in black oil paint, is very anomalous and very small. For
example, in the signature, “m” is linked with “o”, there is no upper line of
“d”, and “i” is smaller than normal and has no dot.
The shapes like letters are in the
background wall and they seem as if Modigliani is trying to compensate for his
signature written in a very small size with the letters-like shapes on the
wall. It is one of Modigliani's works showing one of his favorite styles
between 1916 and 1917 that outlines models using color patches.
However, this work lost some of the
original colors due to excessive cleaning work during the restoration,
resulting in the model looking too pale than the original.
In this work, the model has eyes
with double eyelids that are difficult to see in Modigliani's other works, and
the eyebrows are drawn very long. In addition, the eyes, nose, and mouth are
clearly drawn with outlines. In particular, the model's ear is painted in much
more detail than other works, while the model's hand is very faintly painted.
In addition, unlike the model's
body, the clothes worn by the model were treated with rough and crude
brushstrokes.
And what stands out from the
model's appearance is the model's arms that look exceptionally thick. It even
makes viewers feel as if the face of someone else is on the model's body.
Perhaps Modigliani is trying to suggest that the model's profession, making
cookies and chocolates, is very difficult and laborious, contrary to the image
that feels cool. However, the voluptuousness and flexion of the arms also
relieves the linearity of the model's neck and face including the model's hair.
The exact identity of the woman, the model of this work, is not known, but it is believed that the models of the works below, drawn by Modigliani, are the same woman as the model in this work.
Thank you.
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