“Dancer”, Amedeo Modigliani – description of the painting

Description of the picture:

The dancer is Amedeo Modigliani. Ink on paper. 55 x 46 cm
During the life of Amedeo Modigliani, only one of his official individual exhibitions was held – on December 3, 1917, an outstanding Italian painter presented to the public his works, among which were paintings and pictures in the nude genre. Later, Modigliani exhibited nude paintings at the headquarters of his own friend, the Swiss artist Emil Lejeune. It is worth mentioning that the public demonstration of paintings on which naked ladies were depicted caused a real commotion in society?

The sketch “Dancer” was made in black ink on paper. Some pictures of Modigliani appeared as sketches for future paintings, but others (for example, “Dancer”) are an independent creation of the painter. Often, Modigliani hastily created pictures as a gift to friends or ladies to whom he felt sympathy. It is worth recalling the drawings that the master created for Anna Akhmatova. It is believed that he had a platonic affair with a Russian poetess. And some drawings appeared, like paying for a plate of food – a master who led a very poor lifestyle often paid for his works.

In the presented figure we see a dancing woman. The forms of her body can be called magnificent – a large bust, rounded hips. The woman, covering her eyes, shamelessly raises the skirt of her outfit to show her body. Patterned stockings are under the skirt. The author did not stop there, “exposing” his dancing heroine. The bodice of her dress is lowered so that we can see the open chest. “The height of shamelessness!” Exclaimed contemporaries of Modigliani, but today’s viewer may surprise himself to note: despite the openness of the dancing lady, she does not look vulgar or vulgar. On the contrary, her image is full of bliss, femininity and plasticity. It seems that some graceful dance captivated the heroine, and, obeying the whimsical rhythms, the girl raised the hem. Or maybe it was a private dance performance?

In the image of naked wondrous ladies, Modigliani shunned abstractness and typification. That’s why his nudes are a gallery of images where you can clearly grasp the character, temperament and special external features of each. What kind of dancer is she from the drawing of Modigliani? Sad and gentle, bold, but modest, graceful and gentle. And all this can be said by looking at only one drawing executed in black on a white sheet. Amazing, brilliant craftsmanship!

Today, paintings by nude Modigliani are the most expensive works in his work."

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