Portrait de Jeanne Hébuterne (1918)

Modigliani, Amedeo (1884-1920)

Portrait de Jeanne Hébuterne (Portrait of Jeanne Hébuterne)
1918
Oil on canvas, 99.7 x 64.8 cm
Barnes FoundationPhiladelphia

Jeanne Hébuterne, Modigliani‘s last mistress, is recognizable by her auburn hair, blank blue eyes, and swanlike neck. Painted the year the couple spent on the Côte d’Azur, when Hébuterne was pregnant with their daughter, the work’s ordered lines and subdued color palette convey a calm repose that contrasts with the couple’s turbulent relationship. The profile orientation of this stylized portrait emphasizes the conic shape of Hébuterne‘s tightly coiffed hair, recalling a type of crown worn by ancient Egyptian kings and deities. (BF)

See also:

• Hébuterne, Jeanne (1898-1920)