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Modigliani Institute Korea (MIK) is currently introducing artworks of Amedeo Modigliani one by one every week.
The 66th work to introduce for this week is “Portrait of Wielhorski” in 1916.
This work is an expressionist style portrait and an oil painting on a canvas with the size of 114 x 72 cm, and is held in Private collection.
The model of this work is Wielhorski, a Polish painter, who appears to be a wealthy and educated figure in the model's attire and posture.
In addition, while the model's attire and posture make viewers feel calm and secure, the colors used give a very strong feeling. Therefore, if looking at the attire and posture alone, the model seems to have a cool and discreet personality, but if looking at the colors used, the model might be a figure who is passionate and somewhat impulsive. Modigliani might have attempted to express the character of the model by using such strong colors instead of appearance.
Also unique thing in this work is the model's beard, feeling like a shawl worn by noble ladies around the neck. The reason that Modigliani painted the model's beard like this might be to suggest that the model is from a good and wealthy family.
Another unique thing is the eyebrows, eyes, nose and ears of the model. While the one side of the model's eyebrows is drawn so blurry enough to say that there is no eyebrow, the other side of the eyebrows is relatively clear. One eye is drawn almost closed while the other one is depicted as an eye without pupil. In the case of the nose, one side can be seen more clearly, and for the ear, one side has unclear outline, while the other side is clearly outlined.
In addition, the chair on which the model is sitting is almost indistinguishable from the background, making it feel as if the model is sitting in the air. The reason that Modigliani represented the model like this way might suggest that Modigliani's understanding for the model is insufficient yet.
Compared to other Modigliani’s works, this work is drawn in a straight composition that is not tilted in both aspects of the model and the background. The window (or frame) in the left side of the background that is slightly visible balances the entire composition with the background on the right.
This work was one of the works exhibited at the Berthe Weill Gallery in 1917, which was the first and last personal exhibition of Modigliani during his life, but forcibly closed due to the nudes exhibition.
There are three other works that Modigliani seems to depict the same figure as the model in this work, but there is a huge controversy among critics as to whether the models of the works are the same figure Wielhorski or not.
Thank you.
