Amadeus+Modigliani



Modigliani a short fast tormented life of searching for himself. His art was all there was for him. He drank too much and worked too obsessively, once he finally found his style. He like other artists of his time were captured by the raw essence and mystery of African Art, mainly masks. As you can see they copied the elongated forms, small almond eyes, and sculptured hair. They would capture a like of the sitter but they maybe all. Picasso worked with the likenesses of masks and bodies. Modigliani worked primarily with the portrait. Pupils were removed as in the African work. Faces were elongated and stylized. They became something other than a portrait. the thinking at the time was that the face was, especially the eyes were a way to read a person. “ eyes are the windows to the soul ”. Modigliani must have seen then as perfect for he copies them line by line and form by form. The torso was always left alone or in a natural state. Whereas in some Picasso ’ s the body became angular as if it had been carved.

There is no feeling of fear radiating from the masks although I am sure under the right circumstances they were frightful.

These works may call in QUESTION OF BEAUTY. the long graceful neck seem to make the females more fragile and somehow more feminine, They are l almost floating as they pose. their looks are mysterious. They cannot long at you because they have no pupils so where or what are they looking at. are they in the end even there?