At a young age, Modigliani went to the marble quarries in Carrara (Tuscany, Italy) to learn the skills of sculpting. Later, he became fascinated by the traditional sculptures of Africa and Oceania. These influences are instantly recognizable in this head carved from stone. the Modigliani sculpture is a sanctuary portrait, its shape determined by the perfect vertical lines. It has a meditative and sacred appearance and in this respect, it has links with Modigliani's Hebrew background.
Amedeo Modigliani grew up in Livorno, Italy as the fourth child of a Jewish family. He was particularly close to his mother, who indulged the young kid's passion for art. By the time he was 14, she enrolled him with the best painting master in Livorno, Guglielmo Micheli.
In 1906, Modigliani settled in Paris where he attended the Académie Colarossi. He found inspiration in Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Georges Rouault, Pablo Picasso, and particularly Paul Cezanne's work.
In 1909, Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi introduced Modigliani to African sculpture and since then, this new influence impacted his art.
For reinvigorating the practice of portraiture, Modigliani’s work remains one of the most significant and original of his time.
