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.
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
Amedeo Modigliani
Crouching Nude, 1910-1911
Black crayon on paper. 425 x 273 mm
Private collection
Constantin Brancusi
The Kiss, 1907-1908
Stone. 28 x 26 x 21.5 cm
Muzeul de Arta, Craiova, Romania
Amedeo Modigliani
Pink Caryatid with Blue Border, c. 1912
Watercolor on paper. 556 x 451 mm
Private collection