Portrait of Morgan Russell 1918

Curator: Here we have Amedeo Modigliani’s "Portrait of Morgan Russell," painted in 1918. Modigliani, as you may know, worked primarily in Paris. It's an oil painting, and today resides in a private collection. Editor: It’s hauntingly serene, wouldn’t you say? That blankness in the eyes… it's as though he's gazing inward, at some inaccessible landscape. The elongated neck is unnerving too; it reminds me of stylized figures from ancient art. Curator: Absolutely. That elongation, that very stylization, it’s classic Modigliani. He’s not simply capturing Russell’s likeness. I always imagine he's getting to the soul, bending the exterior to hint at inner realities. Editor: But the soul seems withdrawn, obscured, doesn't it? Notice the angles – the tilted head, the slumped posture, the clasped hands – all convey a kind of world-weariness, perhaps? What cultural markers were usually related with similar expressions? Curator: Interesting that you say so! In some respects, I see vulnerability. The lack of defined pupils could be a stripping away, a deliberate act of exposing the sitter, removing a barrier between him and the viewer. Almost disarming in its simplicity. He's so very contained, so quietly reserved, but there's a definite presence too, do you not agree? It’s there, beneath the paint and canvas. Editor: Indeed, but what about his formal wear? Perhaps an expectation, some obligation to external values? Curator: His expression? Who knows... that silence is precisely what's captivating, compelling. And Modigliani, oh, what a talent... he’s managed to weave something profoundly evocative. It almost brings tears to your eyes, I have to say... The colours, and that lovely, almost tangible texture of the oil paint... such tenderness. Editor: Tender is definitely the right word. Thank you, that’s provided me with an entirely different perception, as that kind of sensitivity to this sitter does, surprisingly, come across powerfully.