Recumbent nude 1917

Amedeo Modigliani made this oil painting, Recumbent Nude, at some point in his short life, and I wonder, what was he thinking? I see the thick swirls of brown and red paint that create a kind of vortex. They surround the nude figure, who is herself painted in creamy yellows and pinks. Her face is turned upwards, away from us, as if lost in thought. I imagine Modigliani, with his own intense gaze and bohemian lifestyle, trying to capture something essential about his subject. The way he uses color and line, it’s all so stylized and elegant! I can almost feel the texture of the canvas, the way the paint is layered on, giving depth and dimension to the scene. Painters like Modigliani and Matisse really opened up new possibilities for expression. Their art helps me reflect on my own work. It reminds me that painting is a conversation across time.