Portrait of a Young Woman n.d.

Amedeo Modigliani made this artwork, *Portrait of a Young Woman,* with brush and ink. Modigliani, an Italian Jew in Paris, found himself at the epicenter of a rapidly modernizing world. His portraits often reflect the alienation and anonymity that characterized urban life at the turn of the century. Look at the simplified forms and the mask-like face. What can you tell about the sitter’s identity? Does she have one? Modigliani renders her with closed eyes, perhaps withdrawn or lost in thought. Her posture is one of introspection, maybe even resignation. The stark contrast of the ink creates a sense of emotional intensity, reflecting a broader existential questioning that was brewing in Europe, with the aftermath of industrialization and the looming shadow of war. Modigliani died young at just 35 years old, but these portraits of his leave a haunting reminder of the human condition.