Seated Nude 1917

Modigliani rendered this seated nude with oils on canvas sometime between 1905 and 1920. I imagine the painting came into being slowly, with shifting planes and emerging forms, perhaps through trial, error, and maybe even intuition. Looking at her, I sympathize with Modigliani. What must it have been like to create her form? The paint looks thin, almost diluted in places, allowing the canvas texture to peek through. A particular gesture that strikes me is the contour of her face—the long, elegant curve from forehead to chin. It communicates a sense of serenity, perhaps even a touch of melancholy. He must have been thinking about the old masters—Titian, Rembrandt, those guys. But he’s also doing his own thing, stretching the figure, elongating the neck. It's like he's whispering secrets to the future of painting. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring each other across time, embracing ambiguity, and welcoming multiple interpretations.