Head of a Woman with a Hat 1907

Amedeo Modigliani made "Head of a Woman with a Hat" using watercolour and pencil on paper. I can almost feel the weight of the paper in his hands. The light washes of blues and oranges have a luminous quality, with just a bit of drawing to define the shapes. Look at the cool blues around her hat, and how they create a sense of shadow, framing her face. I wonder what Modigliani was thinking when he made this? Was he trying to capture a likeness, or was he more interested in the formal qualities of the composition? Modigliani’s process is on full display here. He's part of a conversation with other artists across time. The way he simplifies the face reminds me of Cezanne, but there’s also something very modern about the color palette. Modigliani is doing his thing, making something new. And that's what it's all about – embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, letting the work evolve.