Adrienne (Woman with Bangs) 1917

Curator: Up next, we have Amedeo Modigliani's "Adrienne (Woman with Bangs)," painted in 1917 using oil on canvas. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by a stillness in her gaze. It’s an unnerving portrait. Curator: The unsettling mood might stem from the stylistic exaggerations typical of Modigliani. Notice how the elongation of her neck and face leads the eye. He was mining inspiration from his deep knowledge of Italian Renaissance art and modernist cubism simultaneously. Editor: Precisely. And the reduction of form—the almost geometric rendering of her features—creates an uncanny sense of otherness. Her almond-shaped eyes lack distinct pupils, further enhancing that feeling of disconnection. How very avant-garde. Curator: True. Modigliani's portraits often serve as explorations of form, line, and color over mere representation. And don't you think the dark, muted palette contributes? The somber background really throws her pale face into relief, but she melts back into her setting. Editor: Absolutely, there is a very painterly quality here; brushstrokes and warm colours seem to blend into the red in the background with surprising cohesiveness, despite the striking contrasts. Her body has this way of dissolving and losing distinction within the canvas, almost like she is trying to fade from this world. The bold shapes are definitely holding the gaze of any audience and trapping it with somber brush strokes of Modernism and what a wonderful blend that ends up creating. Curator: Yes. Knowing his struggle with illness and poverty at this point in his life, it makes me think of a soul searching and perhaps reckoning with shadows in ways both hidden and expressed. Editor: Looking closer, there’s something haunting and captivating. Despite—or perhaps because of—its unconventional forms, it draws me in, offering a glimpse into an unseen world, making this such a memorable piece from 1917!