Jeanne Hebuterne (with a scarf) 1919

Amedeo Modigliani painted this portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne, likely using oils, with an approach to mark making that feels both spontaneous and deeply considered. The colors here are muted, earthy – a kind of softened reality. Modigliani lets the paint do its thing; it’s not overworked, but laid down in these smooth, almost liquid planes. Look at the way the blue of her dress meets the reddish-brown of the background; it’s a gentle, almost blurred edge. It feels like he’s searching for the form, letting the colors suggest the shape rather than defining it with a hard outline. And that scarf! It's like a splash of warmth in a cool room. Modigliani’s work reminds me of some of those early Cubists, like Picasso or Braque, but with a twist of melancholy. There’s a similar interest in simplifying form, but Modigliani brings a sense of emotion, vulnerability. It’s a conversation across time, an ongoing exploration of how we see and feel the world. And like any good conversation, it’s full of questions rather than answers.