Young Man with a Cap c. early 20th century

Amedeo Modigliani painted this portrait, ‘Young Man with a Cap’, with oil on canvas. Immediately, one notices the elongated features of the young man, a hallmark of Modigliani's style, reminiscent of ancient Egyptian art. The cap he wears is a symbol of his time, evoking the working class and the bohemian spirit of early 20th-century Paris. The eyes, devoid of pupils, invite introspection, echoing the blank stares of Byzantine icons, portals to the soul. This recalls the ancient Roman tradition of portraiture where the eyes were believed to be the windows of the soul. Over time, this motif evolved, appearing in Renaissance art as symbols of spiritual insight, only to be reimagined by Modigliani as an expression of inner turmoil. It reflects a collective memory, a recurring symbol that taps into our subconscious, engaging viewers on a deep, emotional level. Like a serpent coiling around a staff, symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts, endlessly shaping our cultural narrative.