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Modigliani and His Masters
Second room
Understanding Sculpture

Prior to his arrival in Paris, Modigliani had already expressed his intention of becoming a sculptor. The example of African art was a turning point in this sense, and in 1908 he executed his first studies of heads and caryatids inspired by African masks. In 1909 Modigliani moved to Montparnasse, the area at that time replacing Montmartre as the centre of the Parisian art world. It was there that he met the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi, who encouraged him to take up direct carving in stone. For around five years, Modigliani almost completely abandoned painting and devoted himself to sculpture, at first using hard materials such as marble, then softer ones such as sandstone, which he aimed to endow with a massive and timeless look. Modigliani's efforts as a sculptor would be fundamental to the consolidation of his mature style as a painter.
Head

Amedeo Modigliani
Head, c. 1911-1912
Limestone. 89.2 x 14 x 35.2 cm
Tate. Transferred from the Victoria & Albert Museum 1983
© Tate, London 2007
Crouching Nude


Amedeo Modigliani
Crouching Nude, 1910-1911
Black crayon on paper. 425 x 273 mm
Private collection
The Kiss


Constantin Brancusi
The Kiss, 1907-1908
Stone. 28 x 26 x 21.5 cm
Muzeul de Arta, Craiova, Romania
Pink Caryatid with Blue Border


Amedeo Modigliani
Pink Caryatid with Blue Border, c. 1912
Watercolor on paper. 556 x 451 mm
Private collection