Portrait of Chaim Soutine 1915

Amedeo Modigliani made this oil on canvas, a portrait of Chaim Soutine; I reckon there was a lot of looking, and squinting involved. The colours are these warm hues of yellow and red, and the paint looks like it's been applied in layers, thick and thin. You can see the history of the making right there on the surface. I really feel for Modigliani here. Imagine him trying to capture Soutine's essence on canvas. What were they talking about? Did Soutine sit still or was he fidgety? Modigliani uses these short, choppy brushstrokes, especially around the face. It's like he's trying to build up the form, find the right angle. It makes me think about Cezanne and how he constructed his forms with colour. Look at the eyes, how dark they are, and that little smirk. It's like Soutine knows something we don't. Painting is a conversation, right? Modigliani is talking to Cezanne, to Soutine, and to us, across time, in this amazing exchange of ideas.