Teresa 1915

Modigliani made "Teresa" with paint on paper sometime in the early 20th century. Look at those black marks. Notice how the quick flicks and smudges of the brush form Teresa’s hair, shape her face, and define her presence. What was Modigliani thinking as he made this portrait? I imagine him capturing the essence of Teresa in just a few strokes. It's interesting how little color he used, and how much expression he managed to get across nonetheless. The lines around her eyes and mouth, so delicate, so full of feeling. It reminds me of other figurative painters like Alice Neel, who also had this knack for getting right to the heart of things with a simple line. There's this ongoing dialogue between artists across time. Modigliani was looking at other artists, and now we're looking at him, picking up on his rhythms and making our own. Painting is like that, a conversation that never really ends.