Ritratto di Paul Guillaume (Paul Guillame assis) (1916) by Amedeo ModiglianiMuseo del Novecento
The raised eyebrows, the posture, the outfit. Modigliani's sitter is almost dandy-looking. Charming, isn't he?
This immediacy of communication is astonishing, considering how non-realistic the representation is. Modigliani is not looking for a photographic depiction of his subject, but something deeper - his individual essence.
The painter has chosen to explicitly written the sitter's name in the background, like a caption. Paul Guillaume. Collector and art dealer.
Archaic and Egyptian art are important influences on Modigliani's refined, almost 'carved' lines. He was once a sculptor, and his pictorial style owes much to the way he used to sculpt.
Guillaume's real eyes were not two different colors, but Modigliani paints them this way so that we can look into his two different souls - the practical soul of a merchant, and the aesthetic one of a connoisseur.
Zoom in and explore Modigliani's soulful portrait for yourself, here
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