Woman Sitting in Blue Dress 1919

Amedeo Modigliani painted "Woman Sitting in Blue Dress" with oil on canvas. The subtle palette is so soothing. There's a real sense of process here, which I love. You can see how he's built up the color in layers. There's a certain vulnerability, a tenderness, and it’s all in the marks. Looking at her hands, you can see how the pink seems to glow against the dark of her dress, and it makes me think about the way Modigliani uses color to create a sense of volume and form. The paint is applied in thin layers, almost translucent in places. There’s this quiet energy that pulls you in, like a conversation. Modigliani reminds me of Henri Matisse, with his interest in simplifying form. Ultimately, art is about opening up possibilities, not closing them down.