Amedeo Modigliani: unrecognized genius

Artist Amedeo Modigliani - the forefather of a realistic depiction of nude nature, a talented sculptor, painter and freethinker was a landmark figure of his time. However, during his lifetime, the creator was famous not for his works, but for the dissolute way of life.

The beginning of the way

Amedeo Modigliani was born in Italy in a petty-bourgeois Jewish family. His parents had noble roots and gave their son a decent education. Amedeo grew up in an atmosphere saturated with the works of the Renaissance from childhood. Thanks to his mother, a native of France, he was well versed in poetry and philosophy, history and painting, and also mastered the French language, which later would help him live and create in Paris.

Before his majority Amedeo Modigliani was twice on the verge of death. At first he fell ill with pleurisy, and then with typhoid. Tortured by illness, delirious, he saw the works of Italian masters of painting. This is what determined his life path. And already in 1898 he begins to take lessons in private art school Guglielmo Mikeli. But he was forced to interrupt his studies because of the illness that had overcome him again. This time, Amedeo caught tuberculosis. After a short forced break, the future artist resumes his studies, but this time at the Free School of Nude Painting, and afterwards at the Venetian Fine Arts Institute.

Paris: a new stage of creativity

Mother always admired the talent of her youngest son and in every possible way contributed to his creative becoming. So, in 1906, thanks to the mother, who raised money for her son, Amedeo went for inspiration and fame to Paris. Here he immerses himself in the creative atmosphere of Montmartre and gets acquainted with many creators of the time - Picasso, Utrillo, Jacob, Mejdner.

In the capital of world art, Amedeo Modigliani is constantly experiencing financial difficulties. His miserable situation is somewhat improved in 1907, when he meets Paul Alexander, whose friendship he will carry through his whole life. Alexander patronizes the artist - buys his work, organizes orders for portraits, as well as the first exhibition Modigliani. However, fame and recognition are still not coming.

Amedeo Modigliani devoted himself completely to sculpture for a while. It works with stone blocks and marble. A great influence on the work of Modigliani at that time was provided by Brancusi, Epstein, Lipschitz. In 1912, some of his works were even bought. But poor health and exacerbated tuberculosis force him to return to painting.

The artist continues to create and during the First World War, which he was not taken for health reasons. In 1917, the Modigliani exhibition was opened, where he presented his work in the genre of nude. However, local authorities recognized his work as indecent and literally a few hours after the opening covered the exposition.

About the future period of the artist's life is very little known. Amedeo Modigliani died in early 1920 from the triumphant over his life of tuberculous meningitis.

Love Stories

The artist was distinguished by the fervor of nature and amorousness. He admired women's beauty, adored and sang of her. It is known that in 1910 he had a novel by Anna Akhmatova, which lasted a year and a half. In 1914, there was another serious novel in his life. Bright and eccentric Beatriz Hastings was not only a lover and muse Amedeo, but also a promoter. Thanks to her scandalous articles about Modigliani, he gained some fame. True, not as a brilliant artist, but as a bohemian lover of alcohol and drugs.

After the romance with Beatrice, a young muse, 19-year-old Jeanne Ebutern, bursts into the artist's life. Its beauty, he sang in 25 portraits. Jeanne bore him a child, and when the artist learned about the second pregnancy of the muse, he hurried to make her an offer. But the couple did not manage to marry in church because of the artist's death. Unable to withstand the separation, the next day after the death of her lover, Jeanne decides to commit suicide.

Characteristics of creativity

Amedeo Modigliani, whose works do not convey a hundredth part of the artist's skill, was skillful in creating portraits. He recreated the lyrical images through smooth lines and strokes. His works combine seemingly incongruous things - expression and harmony, linearity and generality, plasticity and dynamism. His portraits were not like a reflection in a mirror or a photograph. Rather, they conveyed Modigliani's internal sensation and were distinguished by elongated shapes and generalized color zones. He does not play with space. In the paintings it seems compressed, conditional.

Interesting Facts

Modigliani is a descendant of the great philosopher Spinoza.

"Modigliani. Jew "- these words the artist seemed to strangers. He was always embarrassed by his nationality, but he chose the path not of denial, but of approval.

Amedeo had an heir, but he refused his son before he was born.

The first surge in the demand for paintings by the artist and the sincere public interest in his work arose after the death of Modigliani, or rather, during his funeral.

In Paris, the artist had a reputation of irrepressible rowdy and revelers, and he was not allowed to all institutions.

Amedeo had a phenomenal memory. He could watch the poems of the Renaissance poets and contemporary creators for hours on end.

In fact, contemporaries knew little about the life of Amedeo Modigliani. Biography was recreated after his death on the diaries of his mother, letters and stories of friends.