Caryatide au Sein Pointu c. 1913 - 1914

This is a drawing by Amedeo Modigliani of a Caryatid, and it’s all about the elegant and flowing lines. You can see how the drawing process itself is laid bare, with the pencil marks feeling so immediate, like he’s thinking through the form right on the page. The paper is this warm, aged tone, and the blue triangle above her right breast feels so deliberate, like a little jewel placed just so. The lines aren't perfect. They waver and sometimes disappear, which gives the figure a sense of movement and life. Modigliani isn't trying to hide anything. The sketchiness is part of its charm. It reminds me a bit of Matisse, especially his drawings, where the line is everything. It’s like Modigliani is saying, “Here’s a figure, but it’s also about the act of drawing itself.” I think there's something really generous about that. He invites us into his process, and it becomes an ongoing conversation about form, line, and the sheer joy of making.