Madame Othon Friesz, La Marseillaise 1915

Amedeo Modigliani made this portrait of Madame Othon Friesz with pencil, and maybe a little blue crayon, on paper. It’s a quick sketch, right? Like he’s trying to catch her essence in a few strokes. The lines are loose and free, kinda shaky even, but they give her this haunting, elegant vibe. I can imagine Modigliani, in his bohemian garret, cigarette dangling, just trying to get it down, searching for the right line to capture her gaze. That elongated neck, those almond eyes… it’s so Modigliani! You see how the blues aren't quite blocks of color? They act more like a shadow. I like the way he's scrawled 'La Marseillaise' at the top, referencing both the sitter and the patriotic song. He was probably listening to it when he made it! It makes you think about all the portraits that came before, and how Modigliani put his own spin on it. He took what he needed and made something new. That’s what all artists do, right? They see what others have done and then push it further.