Saturday, May 20, 2017

Modigliani

There was a chill in the air last week, so we met at Paula's and sketched forgeries.
A book on Modigliani immediately caught my attention.  I love the direct gaze of the sitter and the color blocking in the background.  The hands show she really is a "woman of the people", they are large and work-worn compared to her beautifully shaped head and organized hair style.  Her scarf or ribbon around her neck seem to be a desire to look pretty, yet the shawl sets the tone and makes the composition strong.  Even the pictures on the wall add interest bringing your eye up and around; then the block of color by her hip direct you down to the hands.  
He didn't need to define the eyes, it was all in the shapes, even the eyes were just shapes!  
I started this forgery from the cover of the book and then took the time to look inside and discover the hands.  With that discovery, she went from a beautiful young woman to a person with a laborious job.  I wonder how she aged?


Full portrait found inside the book

From the cover of Modigliani and the Artists of Montparnasse,
this is titled, Young Woman of the People
 This is Rebecca sitting sketching in the sunshine on Judith's porch.  It was a bright beautiful afternoon, so I made the lighting delicate.
A bright light filled afternoon on Judith's porch.

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