The Zouave 1918

Amedeo Modigliani painted this portrait of a soldier, called The Zouave, using oil on canvas. The materiality of this work is interesting. While it may seem to be 'merely' painting, consider that Modigliani was a sculptor, and his portraiture style reflects that. The way he applied the paint, with an interest in rendering three-dimensional form, echoes carving. Think of the way he has modeled the soldier’s face and cap, almost like simplified geometric volumes. Modigliani’s exploration of form is also evident in his choice of subject matter. A soldier’s uniform, with its defined lines and shapes, translates well into his sculptural painting style. The painting has a social significance, in part because of the sitter. A ‘Zouave’ was a member of a class of infantry regiments in the French army, first used in North Africa, then as part of the wider colonial army of France. Here, Modigliani has captured a figure who embodies a very specific kind of labor. In the end, it is important to consider this painting in relation to Modigliani's wider sculptural practice, and in terms of the representation of labor within early 20th-century society.