Chaim Soutine 1915

Amedeo Modigliani painted this portrait of Chaim Soutine using oil on canvas. Modigliani, an Italian Jew, painted Soutine, a Lithuanian Jew, in Paris, where both artists found themselves amongst a community of international artists in the early 20th century. There is a sense of the outsider rendered in thick brushstrokes and muted colors, which speaks to the experience of many immigrant artists working in Paris at this time. The expressionistic style, common amongst the artists in their circle, aimed to capture inner emotional states. Soutine, whose life was marked by poverty and displacement, is depicted here with a sense of melancholy. His features are somewhat obscured, which evokes a feeling of anonymity and reflects the struggle for identity experienced by many who are displaced. Modigliani’s portrait serves as a poignant reflection on the immigrant experience, capturing the emotional complexities of identity, belonging, and alienation.