Archive for the ‘Opinion’ Category

My Self-portrait as Modigliani’s model

Thursday, July 13th, 2006
This is a self-portrait I painted in Modigliani’s style. (Click the image for a bigger version) 

Why as Modigliani’s model? 

Last Thursday, at SAG (my local art club) we had to do a painting after one of the modern masters. I chose Modigliani because I like the simplicity of his palette and the decorative qualities of his stylised nudes and portraits. While browsing magazines and books with reproductions of his works, I was impressed by the fact that, in his paintings, the models’ eyes were almost always empty.

The almond shaped, empty eyes, as I have read, could show the influence of African masks and sculptures, but could also mean he was trying to emotionally disengage himself from the sitter. A mystery to me, as I like his style so much, but the lack of ‘life’ in those empty eyes rather puts me off.

This self-portrait, based on a portrait of Modigliani’s young lover Jeanne Hébuterne, was done in acrylics. It features a long neck and thin nose, oval face, small mouth, … but certainly with ‘my’ hair, eyes and look.

The Royal Academy of London

Images from the exhibition

Visit the links above for more about “Modigliani and His Models” exhibition, while I pick up my paintbox and rush to SAG!

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