The Man with the Monocle 1918

Amedeo Modigliani made 'The Man with the Monocle', a portrait in oil on canvas, sometime in the early 20th century. Look at how Modigliani uses colour here, particularly the rosy flesh tones against that cool, grey background. It’s like he's building up the form, stroke by stroke. You can see the process, the way the painting evolves. The surface has this almost powdery texture, particularly in the face. It feels really immediate and personal. Look closely at the monocle itself – or rather, the absence of it! There’s just a suggestion, a kind of ghostly presence. The overall effect is a portrait that feels both intimate and aloof. The monocle suggests a certain class and attitude, but the unfinished quality invites you to imagine, to fill in the blanks. Modigliani’s work always feels like a conversation. You can see echoes of Cézanne in the way he breaks down form, but he's doing his own thing, creating something utterly unique. His art reminds us that there’s no single ‘right’ way to see.