Medieval Modigliani

It is very strange essay because I have thought very much time ago that a contemporary painter has took suggestions, this is Amedeo Modigliani(1884-1920) has took from ancient and medieval painters and form Byzantine line; he was from Livorno, and Tuscan painters he could see and studied very much time, because he has had it next home, he has certainly took from Cimabue(1240-1320)(Fig.1) Tuscan painter, Sienese particular(Figs.2-3) and it is very understandable if we see some paintings: nose, eyebrows, eyes, and hands, but to neck he has took suggestion from other painter at other time Pontormo from Madonna with long neck(Figs.4,10), same long fingers, same eyebrows and finally same nose; Byzantine line is easily recognizable because it is evident to physiognomies and nose overall; but Modigliani continued to Medieval stile, although updated, and he continued through Byzantine line; in some painting he has suggested body through line(Figs.5-10), and certainly Pontormo above mentioned has suggested neck to a Modigliani’s painting(Fig.11), and lips are very similar. He has took Tuscan and Byzantine line, first to Tuscan education, the line is over all to design from Vasari, biographer of artists at 16^th century, but he attended this academy for one year and after he gone to Venice where he attended Academy of Beauty Arts; but I think that he has took and he has carried always his Tuscan culture, because he has helped this line he gone to Paris at 1906 and his painting are very distant  from vanguards present in Paris then, Cubism and Futurism in Italy, or Impressionism in France, but it is not influenced his style, because he has kept Tuscan and his line.

Alessandro Lusana   

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