When people think about “tragic artists” of the 19th & 20th century, Modigliani is the epitome. Rather unappreciated for his art during his lifetime, like so many other artists, he became more popular after death. Yet evenso, his art still managed making major waves in his heyday. His exhibition alone featuring a series of nudes caused an uproar resulting in an offended policeman forcing him to take them down...all because he had dared to paint in the pubic hair! It didn’t help that the paintings of women he did showed them all in a very confident and self-sufficient manner, considering as models they made enough money on their own to be just that, therefore the  paintings exuded power coming from women during a time when it wasn’t quite so prevalent.

This is what made Paris of the time special. A melting pot of growth, inspiration, and creativity, there was a surge of evolving styles of art that would emerge during this period. Still simultaneously, Paris was also a pit of addiction, frivolity, and self-destruction to those who didn’t have the willpower to resist it. Modigliani is forever labeled as falling into this category, believed to have followed his own path of self-destruction that led to his untimely death, and to the grief and subsequent suicide of his wife and second unborn child. However, it is due to the fact that he had contracted tuberculosis early in life, and often suffered from his condition; as he aged and it escalated to advanced stages, the disease is ultimately what claimed his life.

To this day, his art is so unlike any other of his time that it has defied any form of classification. His favorite thing to draw and paint was the human form by far, and he was an avid sketcher, rumored to create up to a hundred sketches a day at times! He also had a period in which he created only sculptures, staying consistent with the subject of the human form, in both pieces and full form versions. Whether painting, sketch, or sculpture,  Modigliani’s style is one of a kind and easily recognized. An incredible feat of which other artists would attempt to emulate by behaving the way he did, for better or worse.

At the end, Modigliani used his art in life mostly to buy meals and other such things, and despite his artistic fame later in time, died destitute. As tragic as it is for an artist to spend their lives without proper recognition, it would be more tragic if they never receive it...which for Amedeo was most certainly NOT the case. His art style and paintings have come to be some of the most important and dynamic of his time. He chose to do things differently and forge his own path, rather than fit in with what was popular and deemed “okay” in his era. Doing so has made him “one of the greats” and he will forever be remembered for his incredible pieces and determination to find his own style.

If you’re interested in Paris and would like to check out a course I created from my trip to Montmartre, click the button below. You can create an impressionist style piece step by step with me!