Les nymphes 3 1921

Modigliani made this drawing, Les Nymphes 3, using what looks like either pencil or charcoal, and, in some ways, it's less about what it depicts and more about how it was made. The lines are so simple, almost like a shorthand, for the body. What strikes me is the economy of line here. Each stroke feels deliberate, essential. Take, for example, the line that defines the curve of her back. It's not just a line; it's a gesture, a caress. See how it thickens and thins, suggesting the subtle play of light and shadow across her skin? It's like Modigliani is feeling his way around the form, mapping its contours with a kind of tender curiosity. Modigliani reminds me of Matisse, especially his drawings. There's a similar love of line, a similar effortlessness in capturing the essence of a form with just a few strokes. But Modigliani has this melancholy, this sense of longing that's all his own. Ultimately, it's a dance between seeing and feeling, knowing and not knowing, and leaving space for the viewer to fill in the gaps.