Settling in Le Bateau-Lavoir, a
commune for penniless artists in Montmartre, he was soon busy painting, at first
influenced by the work of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec until Paul Cezanne changed
his views.
Eventually though, Modigliani developed
his own unique style, an oddity of a creative genius who was a contemporary of
the Cubists, but not a part of their movement.
He is noted for his fast work,
usually finishing a portrait in one or two sittings. And, once done, he never
reworked any painting.
Yet, those who posed for him said that
being painted by Modigliani was like having your soul laid bare.
In 1909, Modigliani returned home to
Livorno, sickly and worn out from his debauched lifestyle. He did not stay in
Italy long and soon he was back in Paris, this time renting a studio in
Montparnasse.
He had originally seen himself as a
sculptor more than a painter, and he began sculpting seriously after Paul
Guillaume, an ambitious young art dealer, took an interest in his work and
introduced him to Constantin Brancusi.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
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