Seated nude 1908

Editor: Here we have Modigliani's "Seated Nude," created around 1908 using oil paint, notably with impasto. It’s a surprisingly intimate portrayal. What can you tell us about how Modigliani approached painting, considering his socio-economic context? Curator: Well, let's first look at the material reality: oil paint, the dominant medium of academic painting at the time, chosen by an artist aspiring to break into the Parisian art world. Why choose the traditional method if you aim to stand out? Was this Modigliani trying to enter and subvert existing class structures through craft and material choices? The impasto application gives texture, bringing attention to the physical labor and making process. What do you see in that gesture? Editor: I notice the lack of traditional shading in representing the body, yet the form feels robust because of the texture you pointed out. How do his economic circumstances potentially influence his artistic choices, specifically the figure? Curator: His nudes are, on one hand, participating in this economy of representation, where bodies are bought, sold, consumed as commodities. On the other hand, note how the smooth surfaces deny tactility: the sitter isn't presented as a sexual object. Instead, the raw application of oil paint makes you consider its material quality. Her gaze does not invite yours. I find it remarkable because Modigliani isn't trying to beautify; it is rather an economical depiction of labor and human figure with specific means. He questions the usual modes of seeing the world. Editor: It’s intriguing to think about the social pressures versus his intentions, especially his painting method. I have a newfound appreciation of materiality driving expression! Curator: Absolutely. Considering art through the lens of materials opens so many perspectives. What began as an inquiry into beauty becomes instead the complex economic, material means by which that inquiry takes form.