Jeanne Hebuterne Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920)
Amedeo Modigliani – Jeanne Hebuterne
Edit attribution
Download full size: 1067×1600 px (0,3 Mb)
Painter: Amedeo Modigliani
Album navigation:
A man in love is always a little crazy, especially if he is also an artist. The all-consuming love and passion of Amedeo Modigliani and his wife, inspiration and ally Jeanne Ebuterne became both happiness and sorrow for their family. Amedeo was a rampant drinker and dreamed of suicide. Jeanne in response to comments from friends that her husband needs help, replied that such a great man must die.
ArtClub
Best Contemporary Atists
Description of Amedeo Modigliani’s painting "Portrait of Jeanne Ebuterne".
A man in love is always a little crazy, especially if he is also an artist. The all-consuming love and passion of Amedeo Modigliani and his wife, inspiration and ally Jeanne Ebuterne became both happiness and sorrow for their family. Amedeo was a rampant drinker and dreamed of suicide. Jeanne in response to comments from friends that her husband needs help, replied that such a great man must die. Together they were not long, only three years. However, for such a short period of time, the artist and sculptor managed to create 25 of her portraits.
He drew his Jeanne in elegant wide-brimmed hats, in huge precious beads, velvet dresses. One of the key works was "Portrait of Jeanne Ebuterne." This picture is the most simple, without embellishment and frills. The girl appears to the viewer in plain clothes and loose on the shoulders of the hair. Despite the fact that the work is done in the style of expressionism, her face is recognizable. The characteristic, slightly squinting gaze betrays the muse of Modigliani. The work is done in warm, soft colors.
It seemed that in front of the couple only a bright road and a long happy life. However, the artist’s destructive passions have played their part in this story. Passion for alcohol weakened immunity Amedeo. In January 1920 he died in Paris, to become an angel, as predicted him a loving Jeanne. She herself could not bear the separation from her husband. The day after her husband’s death, the pregnant woman threw herself out the window. Their eldest daughter was later adopted by the artist’s sister.
You cannot comment Why?
The color palette is restrained; predominantly earth tones dominate, with muted blues and browns forming the backdrop. The background itself is divided into two distinct planes: a cool blue on the left and a warmer, ochre-toned surface on the right. This division doesnt create depth but rather serves to isolate the figure, intensifying her presence within the composition.
The artist’s handling of light contributes significantly to the overall mood. Light falls primarily upon the face, highlighting its planes and contours while leaving much of the body in shadow. The effect is one of quiet introspection, a sense of melancholy underscored by the womans somber expression. There is an absence of overt emotion; her features are rendered with a certain impassivity that invites contemplation rather than immediate emotional response.
The simplicity of the composition – the figure centered against a flat background – focuses attention entirely on her countenance and demeanor. The lack of contextual details removes any narrative element, leaving the viewer to ponder the subject’s inner state. This deliberate ambiguity contributes to a feeling of fragility and vulnerability.
Subtly, there is an unsettling quality to the portrait. The elongated features, while characteristic of the artists style, also create a sense of distortion that departs from naturalistic representation. Coupled with the woman’s unwavering gaze, this lends the work a psychological depth – a suggestion of something hidden beneath the surface.