Art Guide · Painters
Amedeo Modigliani
1884–1920
Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor known for his long-necked, almond-eyed portraits and nudes, and one of the best-known figures of the School of Paris.
Last updated: · Iconica Society editors
Life
Born in Livorno, he studied in Florence and Venice and moved to Paris in 1906. He lived in Montmartre and Montparnasse and, influenced by Constantin Brâncuși, focused on sculpture for a time before poor health brought him back to painting.
His life was marked by poverty and illness. His only solo exhibition, in 1917, was closed by the police on its opening day because of the nudes in the window. He died of tubercular meningitis in 1920, aged 35; his partner Jeanne Hébuterne took her own life the next day.
Style and key works
Drawing on African sculpture, the Italian Renaissance and Cézanne, Modigliani created a portrait language all his own: elongated faces and necks, almond eyes often without pupils, and plain backgrounds. His portraits of Jeanne Hébuterne (1917–19) are among his best-loved works.
Key works
Shop Amedeo Modigliani posters →Frequently asked questions
Why are the eyes blank in Modigliani’s portraits?
According to a remark attributed to him, he said he would paint the eyes once he knew a person’s soul; the blank eyes also give his figures a mask-like, timeless quality.
What is the School of Paris?
A general name for the artists from around the world, such as Modigliani, Chagall and Soutine, who came to work in Paris in the first half of the 20th century.