Modigliani might be one of the world’s most famous artists, but he wasn’t thought of that way by most until after his death. His paintings were dismissed by art historians as coloured copies of other artists’ work. But it turns out, they were right to criticize him as a bad painter.
He was a master of painting humans
To be a great painter, one must not just be able to paint an apple, for example. A painter must be able to paint humans. Modigliani was known for his portraits. His sitters were exceptional people, such as Sigmund Freud and Pablo Picasso.
The artist was also highly accomplished in landscape painting, still lifes, and his original compositions. Remarkably, he also did book covers and illustrations. He had a keen interest in many different forms of visual arts.
He had an eye for light and shadow
Part of being a great painter is having an eye for light and shadow. Modigliani’s paintings have a dreamlike quality to them, which is due to his mastery of light and shadow. Light and shadow are what create the atmosphere in a painting.
In many of his works, there is a misty, hazy quality to the outlines of the figures. It gives the paintings a surreal, almost dream-like feeling. The artist also had a keen sense for the contrast between light and dark, which he used to great effect.
His paintings have an interesting style
When art historians discuss paintings that are considered great, they often mention the style of the artist’s work. Modigliani is known for having a unique style. His paintings have been described as being “dazzling” or “bleary.” In some paintings, the colours are washed out while in others they are bright and intense.
Modigliani’s best work is highly controversial today
Although art historians have come around to the idea that Modigliani was a great painter, they still consider his best work highly controversial. That’s because a lot of it is his nudes. Modigliani painted a lot of nudes throughout his life, which is unusual for a painter of the period. His nudes are considered masterpieces, but many people today would find them offensive.
He didn’t just paint portraits
Modigliani might be better known for his portraits, but he also created a lot of other works. Besides portraits, he painted still lifes, landscapes, and his original compositions.
The artist was also highly accomplished in landscape painting
It’s not just portraits where Modigliani was considered a master. He was also an accomplished landscape painter. His landscapes have a similar dreamy quality to them, with a misty, hazy atmosphere.
Remarkably, he also did book covers and illustrations
Modigliani was not only a great painter but also a great illustrator. He was famous for doing book covers, magazine illustrations, and postcards. Almost all of these works are considered art.
He had a keen interest in many different forms of visual arts
It’s not just paintings that Modigliani was interested in. He had a keen interest in architecture, sculpture, and photography. He was even a fan of Florence’s Futurism movement.
Conclusion
Modigliani might be one of the world’s most famous artists, but he wasn’t thought of that way by most until after his death. His paintings were dismissed by art historians as coloured copies of other artists’ work. But it turns out, they were right to criticize him as a bad painter. In this article, we will be discussing 5 reasons why art historians consider Modigliani a great painter. First, he was a master of painting humans.
Second, he had an eye for light and shadow. Third, his paintings have an interesting style. Fourth, Modigliani’s best work is highly controversial today. Fifth, he didn’t just paint portraits. The artist was also an accomplished landscape painter, a great illustrator, and a keen observer of architecture, sculpture, and photography.
