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Amedeo Modigliani – Italian painter

Amedeo Modigliani - Italian painter

Amedeo Modigliani – Italian painter

Amedeo Modigliani was an Italian painter and sculptor. As painter, sculptor, and draftsman, Modigliani was among the few truly great masters of the School of Paris.
Amedeo Clemente Modigliani was born on July 12, 1884, in Leghorn. He was the youngest of four children. Giuseppe Emanuele Modigliani, known Italian politician anti-fascist, was his older brother.
In 1898, Modigliani began attending Guglielmo Micheli’s private art studio. 14-year-old Amedeo was the youngest student in the class.
He studied at the academies of Florence and Venice. Amedeo was greatly influenced by the art of the Renaissance.
In 1907 Modigliani arrived in Paris, where, in the Montmartre district, he lived a truly bohemian life. He undermined his health through alcoholism, drugs, and an uninhibited amorous way of living. He settled in Dr. Paul Alexander’s house. The young doctor was the first patron of Modigliani. Their friendship lasted seven years. Alexander bought drawings and paintings by Modigliani. There were 25 paintings and 450 drawings in his collection.

In 1908 Modigliani exhibited at the Salon des Independants.

Modigliani - the greatest Italian artist of the 20th century

Modigliani – the greatest Italian artist of the 20th century

In April 1909 Modigliani moved to the studio in Montparnasse. He met Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi, who later had a huge impact on the Amedeo. In the same year he produced his first sculptures.
In the spring of 1910, Modigliani met young Russian poetess Anna Akhmatova. Their passionate romantic affair lasted until August 1911, when they parted.
In June 1914, Modigliani got acquainted with the talented and eccentric Englishwoman Beatrice Hastings, who had tried her hand in circus art, journalism, poetry and history. Beatrice became his companion, his muse and favorite model – he devoted 14 portraits to her. They were together for more than two years. She worked in The New Age British newspaper and described the social life of the city. Among other things, she wrote that Modigliani and his friends used alcohol and cannabis.
In 1915 Modigliani and Beatrice moved to Montmartre, where he painted portraits of his friends Picasso, Soutine, Jacques Lipchitz, and other celebrities of the time. Portraits made Modigliani one of the central figures of Parisian bohemia.

Modigliani - the greatest Italian artist of the 20th century

Modigliani – the greatest Italian artist of the 20th century

In April 1917 Modigliani met 19-year-old Jeanne Hebuterne, a student of the Académie Colarossi. Jeanne became the basic model of the artist – Modigliani painted her on canvases at least 25 times. On November 29, 1918 his young mistress and model gave birth to their daughter.
In 1918 he took part in a group show at the Berthe Weill Gallery; his nudes provoked a scandal and the police closed the show.
In winter 1919 he contracted tuberculosis and was taken to a hospital.
Modigliani died on January 24, 1920 in Paris. He was 35 years old. A day later, on January 25 Jeanne Hebuterne committed suicide, jumped out the window. Their child was adopted by Modigliani’s sister.
His work became popular only after his death. In 2010 at two Sotheby’s auctions two paintings by Modigliani were sold for 60.6 and 68.9 million US dollars. Reclining Nude was sold in 2015 at Christie’s auction for 170.4 million US dollars.

Amedeo Modigliani – Italian painter

Amedeo and his last love Jeanne Hebuterne

Amedeo and his last love Jeanne Hebuterne

1916. Modigliani, Pablo Picasso and critic Andre Salmon

1916. Modigliani, Pablo Picasso and critic Andre Salmon

Portrait of Jeanne Hebutern, 1918, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven

Portrait of Jeanne Hebutern, 1918, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven

Jeanne Hebuterne 1917 1918

Jeanne Hebuterne, 1917 1918

Readhead Wearing a Pendant 1918

Readhead Wearing a Pendant, 1918

Seated Young Woman, 1918, Musee National Picasso Paris

Seated Young Woman, 1918, Musee National Picasso Paris

Amedeo Modigliani, Self-Portrait

Amedeo Modigliani, Self-Portrait

Woman lying on the bed (Anna Akhmatova), 1911

Woman lying on the bed (Anna Akhmatova), 1911

Woman with a Black Tie, 1917, Fujikawa Galleries

Woman with a Black Tie, 1917, Fujikawa Galleries