Nude with Hat 1907

Amedeo Modigliani made this oil painting, Nude with Hat, on canvas; look closely at the flat planes of colour and those dark contour lines. I imagine Modigliani working quickly, trying to capture the essence of his subject with swift, decisive strokes. The overall feel is one of understated elegance, but with a touch of melancholy. The grey background gives way to the tones in the face, its slight yellowness cut through with those red lips. But it's the outline of the body that I keep returning to; the breast is denoted with a simple arc and single red dot. It's interesting to consider Modigliani’s place in the history of art. He was clearly inspired by the work of other painters, from Cézanne to Picasso, but he developed his own unique style. And like all artists, we're in conversation across time, aren’t we? Each new painting builds on what came before, offering new ways of seeing and experiencing the world.