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Modigliani Institute Korea (MIK) is
currently introducing artworks of Amedeo Modigliani one by one every week.
The 75th work to introduce for this
week is “Louise” in 1917.
This work is an expressionist style
portrait and an oil painting on a canvas with the size of 55 x 43.8 cm, and
held in private collection.
The year of 1917, when Modigliani painted this work, was the year he met his last lover, Jeanne Hébuterne, the time in which he began his peak period of his own unique style in his short life.
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| Jeanne Hebuterne in Red Shawl, Amedeo Modigliani |
This work painted at this time reflects Modigliani's various unique
styles, and although the identity of the model is not exactly known, the name
of the model can be guessed from the title of the work, “Louise”. Modigliani's
distinctive styles in this work are almond-shaped eyes, elongated face and
neck, and Modigliani's genius talent for portraying the model's personality and
character in his paintings can also be seen.
Because of the short hair, the model might be seen as a male at first glance but can be seen as a female through a necklace on her neck. Models have very elongated face and neck, and her short hair has the effect of making them look longer. In addition, the model's eyebrows, which have almost the same curves as the model's eyes, give a very unique feeling.
The model's eyes, which almost seem to be empty and through which the background behind can be seen, adding blurry pupils, look gloomy, and such feeling can also be seen in Modigliani's other works of this period. Modigliani is characterized by not drawing very detailed when drawing model’s ears exposed, but in this work, they are expressed in relatively detailed by even drawing outlines on them.
In addition, this work, using a lot
of blue tones, gives overall gloomy feeling and these tones make the model more
gloomy, and it's also reminiscent of the works of Picasso's Blue Period.
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| The Old Guitarist, Blue Period, Pablo Picasso |
The background of this work is
generally tilted left and the model is also positioned left from the center. In
such case, unlike other Modigliani’s paintings, which generally balance the
composition by biasing other elements to the right, these elements do not exist
in this work.
Modigliani's unique painting styles such as elongated face, neck and body of the model, can be considered to have originated from the influence of Italian art that he studied in his hometown of Italy before moving to Paris. He had a lot of knowledge of Italian art and was also influenced by many Italian Old Masters.
The examples of works that can see his influence are “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli and “The Madonna with the Long Neck” by Parmigianino.
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| The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli |
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| Madonna with the Long Neck, Parmigianino |
With this influence, Modigliani, who moved to Paris, gradually established his own unique painting styles, being influenced by African art, including African sculptures, Cubism, and the sculptor Constantin Brâncuși he met in 1909.
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| Portrait of Mademoiselle Pogany, Constantin Brâncuși |
The first owner of this work was Léopold Zborowski who became Modigliani's art dealer after his relationship with Paul Guillaume ended.
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| Portrait of Leopold Zborowski, Amedeo Modigliani |
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| Paul Guillaume, Amedeo Modigliani |
Zborowski was introduced to Modigliani by Moïse
Kisling, and Modigliani painted several portraits of Zborowski and his wife
Anna.
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| Portrait of Moise Kisling, Amedeo Modigliani |
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| Portrait of Anna Zborowska, Amedeo Modigliani |
This work was sold at Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale auction on November 3, 2008, and is now in private collection.
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| Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale, Sotheby’s |
It was restored for this auction and a dark oxidated varnish layer was removed.
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| Comparison of restoration (before vs. after) |
Thank you.
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