Amedeo Modigliani

I looked at the artist Modigliani a few years ago when I did my art A Level controlled test. From the choice of topics that were on the examination paper, I decided to look at 'elongated form'. To begin with, I researched into a variety of different artists that particularly looked at and studied this sort of form, including Giacometti and also Modigliani. These two artists were my main influences for reaching my final outcome, which was fifteen hours work under controlled examination conditions.

I always wondered whether it was fair that students carrying out an art examination should be under the same sort of conditions as other subjects. I mean, how could you possible copy someone elses work in this sort of situation.....it was pretty much impossible.....particularly the fact that you were given the exam paper four weeks beforehand. You had that length of time to carry out extensive research in order to fully prepare for the fifteen hours (obviously spread across a few days rather than all in one go!) I mean I suppose you wouldn't really know what I'm going on about unless you actually studied, or knew somebody who was studying, art. What I'm trying to say is we could have at least been allowed to listen to our ipods or something.....not too loud though, obviously!

Amedeo Modigliani was primarily a figurative artist, who mainly worked in France. It was these kinds of work, which I became fascinated by whilst researching him. The figures he drew were beautifully elongated and the facial expressions were simplistic yet complex in a sense that it was quite difficult to tell how the person being drawn was feeling. Their expressions were fixed and all very similar. Here are a few examples of his work



Jeanne Hébuterne in Red Shawl - Amedeo Modigliani



Portrait of Jeanne Hébuterne (1898-1920), Common-Law wife of Amedeo Modigliani, oil on canvas - Amedeo Modigliani



Jeune fille au corsage a pois - 1919 - Amedeo Modigliani

As you can see from these examples beautiful elongation of the entire figure. The nose and neck and particularly exaggerated with elongation. The other facial features such as the eyes appear very tiny and delicate almost like small incisions and the mouth is also small, not really exaggerated in comparison to the nose. I became very much aware of Modigliani's style during the weeks leading up to my fifteen hour practical exam. Here is my final piece.....take a look....hopefully you can see the link and the influence of the artist Modigliani.



This is an oil painting of my sister Emily- 2007- Rebecca Roche