Modigliani and His Models

A couple Fridays ago, I spent the evening at the Royal Academy of Arts (my new favourite hangout) to see the "Modigliani and His Models" exhibition. It is so beautiful. I love (Amedeo) Modigliani (1884-1920), and this collection of some of his most famous portraits is really something to behold. The attached picture is my favourite of his. That's Jeanne Hebuterne, his last lover, who he often painted. She jumped out a window, 9 months pregnant, to her death at the age of 21 a few days after he died (they already had a daughter together). Ok, NOT a happy story, but his paintings are so lovely. Soft colours....cornflower blues, warms reds, rich golds. The people he particularly liked were painted with a warmth and tenderness about them. The people he wasn't so fond of always seem to have empty, hollow and vacant eyes, but are nonetheless pretty.

Modigliani was a maniac though...your basic drug abusing, alcoholic, crazy, schitzophrenic, angry, jealous, insecure, woman-beating guy. Unfortunately, most great artists seemed to be tormented and tainted. Why is that? Where are all the HAPPY, well-adjusted artists?

Random Modigliani story: When I moved into my London flat, I was immediately taken by the print of Jeanne hanging over my sofa (the one above). I did not realise at the time it was a Modigliani and I would often tell guests that I loved the picture because it "looked like a Modigliani." Many made the same comment or agreed. It never occured to me, for about the first 7 months looking at this painting hanging in my living room, to take a closer look at the clearly scribed signature in the top corner, becuase it WAS a Modigliani. After a few cocktails one evening with friends, I climbed up on the sofa and (loudly) made the discovery (there were laughs). I was excited to see the original at the exhibition -- it's even prettier than the print on my wall...much warmer colours.

Anyway, the pictures themselves are a treat to take in, but the stories behind his subjects (friends, prostitutes, art dealers, lovers, strangers), told on the audio tour are equally interesting and some, sadly amusing. For example, one painting is of ex-lover and art critic, Beatrice Hastings (pictured below right). She was wealthy and many years his senior. She also had a violent temper and was jealous. Apparently, she would ocassionally find him out with another woman and throw bottles and such.

The collection is nice becuase it is not too big and is all quality so you can really enjoy and savour it. You get a very intimate feel for the subjects and their stories. With the exception of one or two portraits, I honestly loved almost EVERYTHING on the walls....even the nudes which some critics at the time considered to be soft porn (which I don't agree with, by the way).

Anyway, I joined the RAA as a "friend" and expect I'll spend many other lunches and late evenings there (it is right around the corner from my office on Picadilly so I can get there quick when an art fix is needed). I plan to go back for one more visit to Modigliani before the exhibition departs.

Oh, there's also a new book by Jeffery Myers that just came out called Modigliani: A Life. If you're interested, click here.