La Fantesca - 1915

Oil on Canvas, Framed Size 98cm x 64cm

Private Collection

Sold by Sotherby’s New York in 2009 for £2,219,699.

With this candid portrait of a domestic servant, the artist achieves intimacy with this model by the very manner in which he applies paint to the canvass.

Although his portraits are considered among the finest of the 20th Century, Modigliani’s working methods were unorthodox.

His good looks and exuberant temperament sometimes intimidated his models and his unprofessional antics would make for a lively, if not unnerving afternoon in the studio.

Jeune Femme a la Collerette - 1915

Oil on Canvas, Framed Size 70cm x 54cm

Private Collection

In 1915 Modigliani made a break from sculpting and devoted his time solely to painting, where he developed his unique style which became typical of his work. This early portrait has the strong sculptural elements that are reminiscent of Modigliani's stone heads.

Caryatid - 1913

Ink & Gouache on paper, Framed Size 71.5cm x 56cm

Private Collection

There are more than 70 drawings and watercolours that show Modigliani’s preoccupation with sculptural form, during a 2 – 3 year period.

His Caryatid studies inparticular are among his most adventurous works in any medium.

The Caryatid is a classical Greek architectural element depicting a human figure supporting a weight, one of his ideas was to create a temple of beauty, including caryatids supporting the roof.