Modigliani melancholy is good quality for an artist. Modigliani is unique even after death
His personality
Amedeo was brought up in the Jewish family of businessman Flaminio Modigliani and Eugenia Garcin. The Modigliani family comes from the rural area of the same name south of Rome. Amedeo's father had once traded coal and firewood, and now owned a modest brokerage office and, in addition, was somehow connected with the exploitation of silver mines in Sardinia. Amedeo was born just when officials came to his parents’ house to take away the property that had already been described for debts. For Eugenia Garsen, this was a monstrous surprise, since according to Italian laws, the property of a woman in labor is inviolable. Just before the arrival of the judges, the household hastily piled everything that was most valuable in the house onto her bed. In general, a scene took place in the style of Italian comedies of the 50s and 60s. Although in fact there was nothing funny in the events that shook the Modigliani house just before the birth of Amedeo, and the mother saw in them a bad omen for the newborn.
In his mother's diary, two-year-old Dedo received his first description: A little spoiled, a little capricious, but good-looking, like an angel. In 1895 he transferred serious illness. Then the following entry appeared in my mother’s diary: Dedo had very severe pleurisy, and I had not yet recovered from the terrible fear for him. The character of this child is not yet sufficiently formed for me to express a definite opinion about him. Let's see what will develop from this cocoon. Maybe an artist? F - another significant phrase from the lips of the observant and passionately loving Evgenia Garsen.
At the beginning of 1906, among the young artists, writers, and actors who lived in Montmartre as a kind of colony, a woman appeared and immediately attracted attention. new figure. It was Amedeo Modigliani, who had just arrived from Italy and settled on the Rue Colancourt, in a small barn-workshop in the middle of a wasteland overgrown with bushes. He is 22 years old, he is dazzlingly handsome, his quiet voice seemed hot, his gait seemed flying, and his whole appearance seemed strong and harmonious.
In communicating with any person, he was aristocratically polite, simple and benevolent, and immediately endeared him to his spiritual responsiveness. Some said then that Modigliani - aspiring sculptor, others - that he is a painter. Both were true.
Bohemian life quickly attracted Modigliani. Modigliani, in the company of his artist friends (among them Picasso), became addicted to drinking, and was often seen walking the streets drunk, and sometimes naked.
He was called a homeless tramp. His restlessness was obvious. To some she seemed like an attribute of a good-for-nothing lifestyle, characteristic feature bohemians, others saw here almost the dictates of fate, and, it seems, everything agreed that this eternal homelessness was a blessing for Modigliani, because it unleashed his wings for creative flights.
His fights with men over ladies became part of Montmartre folklore. He used great amount cocaine and smoked marijuana.
In 1917, the artist's exhibition, containing mainly nude images, was closed by the police. It so happened that this exhibition was the first and last during the artist’s lifetime.
Modigliani continued to write until tuberculous meningitis brought him to the grave. While he was alive, he was known only in the Parisian artist community, but by 1922 Modigliani had gained worldwide fame.
Modigliani loved women, and they loved him. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of women have been in the bed of this elegant handsome man.
Back at school, Amedeo noticed that girls paid special attention to him. Modigliani said that at the age of 15 he was seduced by a maid working in their house.
Although he, like many of his colleagues, was not averse to visiting brothels, the bulk of his mistresses were his models.
And during his career he changed hundreds of models. Many posed for him naked, interrupting several times during the session to make love.
Most liked Modigliani simple women, for example, laundresses, peasant women, waitresses.
These girls were terribly flattered by attention beautiful artist, and they obediently gave themselves to him.
Despite his many sexual partners, Modigliani loved only two women in his life.
The first was Beatrice Hastings, an English aristocrat, poetess, five years old older than the artist. They met in 1914 and immediately became inseparable lovers.
They drank together, had fun and often fought. Modigliani, in a rage, could drag her by the hair along the sidewalk if he suspected her of attention to other men.
But despite all these dirty scenes, it was Beatrice who was his main source of inspiration. During the heyday of their love, Modigliani created his best works. Still, this stormy romance could not last long. In 1916, Beatrice ran away from Modigliani. Since then they have not seen each other again.
The artist grieved for his unfaithful girlfriend, but not for long.
In July 1917, Modigliani met 19-year-old Jeanne Hebuterne.
The young student came from French family Catholics. The delicate, pale girl and the artist settled together, despite the resistance of Jeanne’s parents, who did not want a Jewish son-in-law. Jeanne not only served as a model for the artist’s works, she lived with him for years serious illness, periods of rudeness and outright rowdy.
In November 1918, Jeanne gave birth to Modigliani’s daughter, and in July 1919 he proposed marriage to her “as soon as all the papers arrive.”
Why they never got married remains a mystery, since these two were, as they say, made for each other and remained together until his death 6 months later.
When Modigliani lay dying in Paris, he invited Jeanne to join him in death, “so that I could be with my beloved model in paradise and enjoy eternal bliss with her.”
On the day of the artist’s funeral, Zhanna was on the verge of despair, but did not cry, but was only silent the whole time.
Pregnant with their second child, she threw herself from the fifth floor to her death.
A year later, at the insistence of the Modigliani family, they were united under one gravestone. The second inscription on it read:
Jeanne Hebuterne. Born in Paris in April 1898. Died in Paris on January 25, 1920. Faithful companion of Amedeo Modigliani, who did not want to survive separation from him.
Modigliani and Anna Akhmatova
A. A. Akhmatova met Amedeo Modigliani in 1910 in Paris, during her honeymoon.
Her acquaintance with A. Modigliani continued in 1911, at which time the artist created 16 drawings - portraits of A. A. Akhmatova. In her essay about Amedeo Modigliani, she wrote: In 10, I saw him extremely rarely, only a few times. Nevertheless, he wrote to me all winter. (I remember several phrases from his letters, one of them: Vous etes en moi comme une hantise / You are like an obsession in me). He didn’t tell me that he wrote poetry.
As I now understand, what struck him most about me was my ability to guess thoughts, see other people’s dreams and other little things that those who know me have long been accustomed to.
At this time, Modigliani was raving about Egypt. He took me to the Louvre to see the Egyptian section and assured me that everything else was unworthy of attention. He painted my head in the attire of Egyptian queens and dancers and seemed completely captivated by the great art of Egypt. Apparently Egypt was his latest hobby. Soon he becomes so original that you don’t want to remember anything when looking at his canvases.
He did not draw me from life, but at his home - he gave these drawings to me. There were sixteen of them. He asked me to frame them and hang them in my room. They died in a Tsarskoye Selo house in the first years of the revolution. Only one survived; unfortunately, it contains less anticipation of its future than the others."
He died in poverty so that his descendants could compete with their fortunes to add paintings to their collections. famous master. The name of Amedeo Modigliani is shrouded in legends and fraught with scandals. Noise and foam often accompany the fate of true geniuses. This is what happened with this great painter.
Genius since childhood
Famous Italian artist Jewish origin Amedeo Modigliani was born in Livorno in 1884. His father declared himself bankrupt when his son was very young, and took on all the care of the family. Amedeo's mother, Evgenia.
"Boy in a Blue Shirt" 1919
The woman literally idolized her youngest son. He was sickly and therefore loved by his mother even more. Amedeo responded to Eugenia with reality and, as in most Jewish families, was too attached to his mother.
Eugenia Modigliani is trying to ensure that her beloved baby receives a comprehensive education. When Amedeo turned 14, she sent him to the school of the artist Micheli. The teenager literally goes crazy about painting and paints all day and night.
However, the health of young Modigliani is still weak, and in order to treat him, in 1900 Eugenia takes her son to Capri, visiting Rome, Venice, and Florence along the way. There young artist gets acquainted with the paintings of the greatest Italian masters and even takes several lessons from Botticelli himself.
"Pink Blouse" 1919
Two years later, Amedeo begins to study the Florentine school of painting, and then takes lessons from Venetian masters.
So, learning from great examples, Modigliani began to develop his own technique.
Bohemian Paris
Having worked in Italy for several years, at some point Amedeo realizes that he does not have enough air. We need new soil, new space in order to grow and move forward. And he moves to France.
Modigliani arrives in Paris in 1906 with no money and only painting supplies. He wanders around cheap furnished apartments, drinks a lot, goes on carouses and, as they say, even tries drugs, which does not prevent him from strictly monitoring his appearance. Modigliani was always impeccably dressed, even if this meant he had to wash his shirt every night. It’s no wonder that women are crazy about the bohemian but poor artist.
Akhmatova and Modigliani
Acquaintance with the great Russian poetess Anna Akhmatova opened new stage in the work of Amedeo. Akhmatova came to Paris with her husband Nikolai Gumilev. But this does not stop the artist. Amedeo begins to court Anna and literally idolizes her. She calls her the Egyptian queen and draws a lot.
"The Artist's Wife" 1918
True, only one portrait of the master has survived to this day, which Akhmatova considered her main wealth. Two more pencil drawing naked Akhmatova were found not so long ago.
The rest of Modigliani's paintings perished or disappeared after the revolution.
Modigliani and Hastings
After breaking up with Akhmatova, Modigliani fell into depression, from which a new relationship brought him out. Journalist and literary critic, traveler and poet Beatrice Hastings met the artist in 1914.
They both turned out to be so emotional and hot that the whole of Paris watched their whirlwind romance with curiosity. Quarrels, scenes of jealousy, jumping out of windows, fights and equally violent reconciliation. This love drained both of them.
"Jeanne Hebuterne in a Red Shawl" 1917
Beatrice tried to wean Amedeo from alcohol, but she was not successful. The scandals became more and more prolonged. And in the end, the woman decides to break off the relationship.
However, this period is considered the most fruitful in terms of creativity. Critics call paintings inspired by the muse Beatrice the best in creative heritage Modigliani.
last love
An artist cannot live without love. A cold heart is incapable of creativity. And so, in 1917, he meets a student named Zhanna, whom he first makes his model, and then falls madly in love with her.
Jeanne's parents rebelled against such a relationship. A Jew leading a riotous lifestyle seems to them to be the worst match for their daughter that they can think of. However, the couple is happy. So that their happiness is not interfered with, they leave for Nice. There Zhanna finds out that she is pregnant. Modigliani invites her to legalize the relationship, but the sharply deteriorating state of health and worsening tuberculosis forces her to postpone these plans.
“Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne” 1918
The birth of a daughter, who was named after Amedeo's beloved Jeanne, makes her forget about her problems for a while. However, not for long.
In 1919, Amedeo and Jeanne and their daughter returned to Paris. The artist was very bad. Tuberculosis is progressing. Amedeo ends up in a clinic for the poor.
At this time, his agent begins to slowly sell the master's paintings. Interest in the painting of Amedeo Modigliani began to awaken. However, the artist will no longer know about this.
He died in complete poverty in a homeless shelter, and his friend Zhanna, having learned about this, jumped out of the window out of grief. At this time, she was carrying her second child, Amedeo.
All of Paris took to the streets to see off the genius last way. His girlfriend was modestly buried the next day, recognizing her rights as the wife of the deceased artist.
"Girl in a Black Apron" 1918
In the end, Jeanne’s parents also accepted this fate for their daughter, ten years later agreeing to rebury the girl’s ashes in Modigliani’s grave. So after death, the lovers were united with each other forever.
Well, their daughter grew up and devoted her whole life to studying the creativity of her parents.
The special world of Amedeo Modigliani
The world of Amedeo Modigliani is a man-universe. His heroes are almost gods. They are beautiful in their external, physical beauty. But this is a very unusual beauty. Sometimes it seems that the characters' characters break out of their corporeal shell and begin to live their own lives. separate life, they are so vividly written.
"Oscar Meshchaninov" 1917
Modigliani paints passers-by, acquaintances, children. He is not interested in surroundings - people are important to him.
He often paid for food with these paintings. And ironically, years after their death, they were worth fortunes. During his lifetime, the genius was not understood, and Modigliani, in fact, always remained incredibly lonely, unrecognized genius.
Unfortunately, this often happens to real creators: their fame reaches them only after death.
Biography of Modigliani
Amedeo Modigliani (Amedeo) (1884–1920), outstanding Italian painter and sculptor . Born July 12, 1884 in Livorno. After studying at the painting school in Livorno with G. Micheli, in 1902 Modigliani entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, and a little later - the Academy in Venice.
At the beginning of 1906 he arrived in Paris, where he began searching for a modern artistic language. He was influenced by P. Cezanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, P. Picasso, Fauvism and Cubism, but ultimately developed own style, which is characterized by a rich and dense color.
In November 1907, Modigliani met Dr. Paul Alexandre, who rented a studio for him and became the first collector of his work. The artist became a member of the Independent group and exhibited his works in their salon in 1908 and 1910.
Acquaintance with the sculptor Constantin Brancusi in 1909 played a fundamental role in the development of Modigliani's sculptural creativity. Modigliani received support from Brancusi and valuable advice. During these years, Modigliani was mainly engaged in sculpting and studying works of classical antiquity, Indian and African sculpture. In 1912 he exhibited seven sculptural works at the Autumn Salon.
With the outbreak of World War I, many of Modigliani's friends left Paris. The artist was depressed by changes in life, unemployment, and poverty. At this time he met the English poet Beatrice Hastings, with whom he lived for two years. Modigliani was friendly with artists as diverse as Picasso, Chaim Soutine and Maurice Utrillo, as well as with collectors and business people– Paul Guillaume and Leopold Zborowski. The latter became the artist's patron and supported his work.
During these years, Modigliani returned to painting and created perhaps his most significant works. The abstractness inherent in his works was a consequence of the study of the art of ancient civilizations and the Italian primitive, as well as the influence of his friends the Cubists; at the same time, his works are distinguished by amazing subtlety psychological characteristics. Later, the formal side of his work becomes more and more simple and classical, reduced to a combination of graphic and color rhythms.
In 1917 Modigliani, at that time already very ill and prone to alcoholism, met Jeanne Hebuterne, who became his companion in last years life. The following year, Zborovsky organized a solo exhibition of the artist at the Bertha Weil Gallery. She was not successful, but caused a scandal with several nude images: they were considered indecent, and at the request of the police the paintings were removed. Nevertheless, some French and foreign collectors showed interest in Modigliani's work. In 1918 the artist went to Cote d'Azur for rest and treatment and stayed there for some time, continuing to work hard. Modigliani died shortly after returning to Paris, on January 24, 1920. The next morning, Jeanne Hebuterne committed suicide.
Modigliani's works combine purity and sophistication of style, symbolism and humanism, a pagan sense of completeness and unbridled joy of life and a pathetic experience of the torments of an always restless conscience.
Birthday today famous artist, about which books are written and films are made, and whose original style cannot be put into any one artistic direction. During his lifetime, his works were not in demand, but today they are breaking records at world auctions. Amadeo Modigliani turns 132 today.
on the picture: portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne
Amadeo Modigliani. Artist of Jewish origin
Modigliani's real name is Iededia, and among his family it is Dedo. He was born on July 12, 1884 in Livorno (Tuscany, Italy) into a family of Sephardic Jews. His father, Flaminio Modigliani, a mining engineer, managed coal mines in Sardinia and owned thirty acres of forestry. But when Amadeo was already an adult, the family's income was too small to support him. Therefore, the artist suffered hardships, especially while living in Paris.
Amadeo Modigliani. The main motive is the person
The creativity is so original that it cannot be attributed to any modern artist movement, although the formation of Modigliani’s style was greatly influenced by Paul Cézanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, Pablo Picasso and other representatives of Fauvism, Cubism and others contemporary artist directions.
Amadeo Modigliani. Came to painting through illness
According to the memoirs of Amadeo’s mother (namely, from her diary we know the facts of the artist’s life), at the age of 14 the boy fell ill with typhus, which was incurable at that time. Put to bed by a high fever, Amadeo raved about the works of Italian masters. As soon as Dido miraculously recovered, his parents allowed him to leave school so that he could free time devote to painting lessons at the Academy of Arts of Livorno. Since then, young Modigliani has studied a lot in different masters and in different schools: in Florence, Venice and, later, in Paris.
Amadeo Modigliani. The last representative of the Parisian bohemia
At the beginning of 1906, using money saved by his mother, Amadeo went to the center of world art of that time - Paris. There, the artist spends hours in the halls of the Louvre, making friends with his contemporaries - the painter Maurice Utrillo, the poet Max Jacob, the artist Pablo Picasso. Despite his poor health (in 1900, Modigliani was struck down by tuberculosis), Amadeo takes an active part in the bohemian life of Montmartre, where he rents a studio. Alcohol and hashish are an integral part of it.
Amadeo Modigliani. Modigliani's patron was the doctor
In 1907, Modigliani rented accommodation with Dr. Paul Alexandre. The latter became a patron young artist, he himself bought his works (his collection includes 450 graphic and 25 paintings). With him light hand Modigliani's works were exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants, although they left the public, who at that time was keen on fashionable cubism, indifferent.
Amadeo Modigliani. Nude with red hair
Amadeo Modigliani. Modigliani the sculptor
Although Amadeo Modigliani is better known as an artist, from 1909 to 1914 he was mainly engaged in sculpture. Having moved to Montparnasse and met the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi, Modigliani devoted himself entirely to working with stone. According to rumors, he is even stealing stone blocks from the construction site of the future metro. In 1911, Amadeo exhibited stone sculptures of the voice (the so-called “pillars of tenderness”) in the studio of the Portuguese artist Amadeo de Sousa-Cordoso. Some of these works were even sold by the artist at the Autumn Salon in 1912.
Amadeo Modigliani. Portrait of Beatrice Hastings
Amadeo Modigliani. Love with Akhmatova
In 1910, Amadeo Modigliani met Anna Akhmatova and they began a romantic relationship. The artist created 16 drawings-portraits of Akhmatova. But we know about this only from Akhmatova’s memoirs. The drawings themselves perished in her Tsarskoye Selo house in the first years of the war. Only one has survived. In 1911 the couple separated.
Amadeo Modigliani. Master "nude"
The pearl of Amadeo Modigliani's creativity is considered to be his work in the nude genre. Original, warm, sensual and very realistic, they once led to the sudden closure of his personal exhibition in Paris, which, as luck would have it, took place just opposite the police station.
Amadeo Modigliani. Portrait of a reclining nude. 1919
Amadeo Modigliani. Two main women, besides the mother
In 1914, Modigliani met the English journalist, poetess, traveler and art critic Beatrice Hastings, who became his companion and model - the artist painted 14 portraits of her. Three years later, 19-year-old Jeanne Hebuterne appeared in Modigliani’s life. From this relationship a daughter was born, who was also named Zhanna, and 25 portraits of Zhanna the mother.
Amadeo Modigliani. Died of tuberculosis, not like in the film
In 1919, Amadeo and Jeanne and their child returned to Paris from the south of France, where they were waiting out the possible occupation of Paris by German troops. Having learned about Jeanne's second pregnancy, she and Amadeo decided to get married. But on January 24, 1920, Amadeo Modigliani died in hospital from tuberculous meningitis, and was not killed, as in the film “Modigliani” by Mick Davis. The next day, Zhanna committed suicide; at this point the movie did not lie. The couple was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery. Their daughter was raised by Modigliani's sister.
On July 12, 1884, the artist Amadeo Modigliani was born. "Amateur" tells the story and Interesting Facts from his life.
Amedeo Modigliani (Modigliani, Amedeo) (1884−1920), outstanding Italian painter and sculptor. Born July 12, 1884 in Livorno. After studying at the painting school in Livorno with G. Micheli, in 1902 Modigliani entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, and a little later - the Academy in Venice.
At the beginning of 1906 he arrived in Paris, where he began searching for a modern artistic language. He was influenced by P. Cezanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, P. Picasso, Fauvism and Cubism, but eventually developed his own style, which is characterized by rich and dense colors.
Modigliani has family connection with the philosopher Baruch Spinoza
In November 1907, Modigliani met Dr. Paul Alexandre, who rented a studio for him and became the first collector of his work. The artist became a member of the Independent group and exhibited his works in their salon in 1908 and 1910.
Acquaintance with the sculptor Constantin Brancusi in 1909 played a fundamental role in the development of Modigliani's sculptural creativity. Modigliani received support and valuable advice from Brancusi. During these years, Modigliani was mainly engaged in sculpting and studying works of classical antiquity, Indian and African sculpture. In 1912 he exhibited seven sculptural works at the Autumn Salon.
The artist was close to death twice before the age of 16
With the outbreak of World War I, many of Modigliani's friends left Paris. The artist was depressed by changes in life, unemployment, and poverty. At this time he met the English poet Beatrice Hastings, with whom he lived for two years. Modigliani was friendly with such by different artists, like Picasso, Chaim Soutine and Maurice Utrillo, as well as with collectors and business people - Paul Guillaume and Leopold Zborowski. The latter became the artist's patron and supported his work.
During these years, Modigliani returned to painting and created perhaps his most significant works. The abstractness inherent in his works was a consequence of the study of the art of ancient civilizations and the Italian primitive, as well as the influence of his friends the Cubists; at the same time, his works are distinguished by the amazing subtlety of psychological characterization. Later, the formal side of his work becomes more and more simple and classical, reduced to a combination of graphic and color rhythms.
By family legend, the Modigliani family included Saint Francis of Assisi
In 1917, Modigliani, at that time already very ill and prone to alcoholism, met Jeanne Hebuterne, who became his companion in the last years of his life. The following year, Zborovsky organized a solo exhibition of the artist at the Bertha Weil Gallery. She was not successful, but caused a scandal with several nude images: they were considered indecent, and at the request of the police the paintings were removed. Nevertheless, some French and foreign collectors showed interest in Modigliani's work. In 1918, the artist went to the Cote d'Azur for rest and treatment and stayed there for some time, continuing to work hard. Modigliani died shortly after returning to Paris, on January 24, 1920. The next morning, Jeanne Hebuterne committed suicide.
Modigliani knew hundreds of lines from Leopardi and Dante by heart
Modigliani's works combine purity and sophistication of style, symbolism and humanism, a pagan sense of completeness and unbridled joy of life and a pathetic experience of the torments of an always restless conscience.
Interesting Facts
1. Modigliani is related to the philosopher Baruch Spinoza through his great-grandmother Regina Spinoza.
2. Modigliani's parents were Sephardic Jews. This ethnic group got its name after being expelled from Spain and Portugal (the word Sephardic means “Spaniard” in modern Hebrew).
3. Amedeo Modigliani was well educated. He knew history and literature very well, and could recite poetry from memory for hours.
4. Laurie's mother's sister loved her little nephew Amedeo very much. She took him in with her from childhood and developed him in every possible way. Laurie wrote philosophical articles for various magazines, was interested in spiritualism and erotic poetry, and promoted the ideas of Nietzsche and the Russian anarchist Kropotkin. Her hobbies were close to Modigliani.
5. The artist was close to death twice before the age of 16. First, the boy suffered from pleurisy, which triggered the tuberculosis process, and then from typhus.
6. As a child, during a fever caused by typhus, Amedeo, delirious, told his mother about his desire to become an artist. She wrote about this in her diary.
7. Introducing himself, Amedeo said: “Modigliani. Jew". He was worried about his nationality, but chose the tactics of self-affirmation rather than renunciation.
8. Modi, as he was often called by friends and colleagues, is phonetically the same as French word maudit, which translated means “cursed.”
9. According to family legend, according to maternal line included Saint Francis of Assisi.
10. Modigliani knew by heart hundreds of lines by Leopardi and Dante, the poetry of Rimbaud, Baudelaire, Verlaine. He avidly read Nietzsche and Dostoevsky, and adored Gabriele D’Annunzio.
11. He also recited “Thus Spake Zarathustra” and “The Songs of Maldoror” by heart.
12. Modigliani read “The Songs of Maldoror” with Akhmatova, which, as she recalled, he “constantly carried in his pocket.” In Russia, the work of this author, Lautreamont, was unknown at that time.
13. Akhmatova called the film “Montparnasse-19” “vulgar.”
14. Modigliani had a son, whom he abandoned before the boy was born.
15. Once on Christmas Eve, Modigliani dressed up as Santa Claus and handed out free hashish lozenges at the entrance to the Rotunda cafe. Unaware of the presence of a “secret filling,” cafe visitors happily swallowed them. That evening, the intoxicated bohemia almost destroyed the Rotunda: representatives of the highest creative circles The lamps of Paris were broken and rum was poured on the ceiling and walls.
16. Modigliani’s works became known and in demand immediately after his death - they began to be bought up already during his funeral. During his lifetime, unlike Picasso or Chagall, he was completely unknown.