The Datebook datebook_wint_spring18_digital_ARTWORK

MODIGLIANI TATE MODERN continued… He lived in Montmartre and documentary films introduce us to the Paris of the Belle Epoque Richard Fitzwilliams which was a major influence as were important artistic figures such as Picasso and Brancusi, whom he befriended. He painted numerous portraits of his famous contemporaries, including a memorable depiction of Diego Rivera, the radical artist. Often, their personalities are subsumed by his quirky style but his portrait of Jean-Baptiste Alexandre with a Crucifix, is notable as it shows he could paint a conventional likeness with considerable skill. The major feature of this show is his nudes. Most of them are curvaceous and richly coloured and some of them are extremely large and were considered provocative. They are strikingly unconventional and have enormous magnetism. It is widely considered to be Modigliani who modernised the nude. He and his mistress, Jeanne Hébuterne, moved to the South of France and his portraits from this period are characterised by warm, gentle colours. The most famous is The Little Peasant which captures the rustic lifestyle in appropriately muted colours so skilfully. They returned to Paris but sadly the confidence his Self- Portrait from 1919 radiates is deceptive as his health was deteriorating by then. A virtual reality show, Modigliani VR: The Ochre Atelier, recreates his final studio in Paris. The visitor is seated and, though the headgear is uncomfortable, the 3D experience is highly ingenious. This is a highly imaginative tribute to the talents of this ground-breaking painter. The Little Peasant, c.1918, Medium Oil paint on canvas 1000 x 645 mm, Tate, presented by Miss Jenny Blaker in memory of Hugh Blaker 1941. Visit The London & UK DatebooK on www.thedatebook.co.uk THE LONDON & UK DATEBOOK 21

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