Portrait of a Woman 1915

Amedeo Modigliani painted this portrait with oil on canvas, and his stylistic choices carry the weight of art history. Observe the elongated features, particularly the face. This is reminiscent of mannerist art from the late Renaissance, yet infused with a modern sensibility. We can see the echoes of Parmigianino's Madonna with the Long Neck, where distortion serves to elevate the figure beyond the earthly realm. The subtle tilt of the head, combined with the almond-shaped eyes, draws upon the cultural memory of classical antiquity and the pre-classical period. Notice how the eyes look beyond the viewer, expressing a sense of melancholic introspection. This gaze reminds us of the figures in ancient Greek sculptures, or even the serene expressions found in Egyptian portraiture. Such continuity in the way we represent human emotion reveals how we have a collective subconscious desire to connect with the past. Modigliani masterfully taps into this.