Artwork
Roma Woman with Baby
Roma Woman with Baby is an oil painting by Amedeo Modigliani. It dates from 1919 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1919, this oil on canvas by Amedeo Modigliani portrays a seated woman cradling an infant. The figure is set against a muted gray backdrop, her attire consisting of a white blouse highlighted with red trim and a blue skirt. The composition is straightforward, emphasizing the calm demeanor of the mother and child.
Subject & Meaning
The work belongs to the portrait genre, focusing on an intimate domestic scene. The woman's serene expression and simple clothing suggest a quiet, everyday moment rather than a staged pose, inviting viewers to consider themes of motherhood, tenderness, and the ordinary lives of individuals within early‑twentieth‑century urban settings.
Technique & Style
Modigliani employs his characteristic elongation of form, though less pronounced here than in many of his nudes. The brushwork is smooth, allowing the colors—particularly the red accents on the blouse and the blue of the skirt—to stand out against the subdued background. The painting reflects the artist’s synthesis of modernist influences with a personal, lyrical approach to figure painting.
History & Provenance
The canvas was produced during Modigliani’s later Parisian period, after his arrival in the city in 1906 and his involvement with avant‑garde circles that included Picasso and Brâncuși. While specific ownership details are limited, the painting remains a representative example of his output in the years preceding his premature death in 1920.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Amedeo Clemente Modigliani (US: ; Italian: ; 12 July 1884 – 24 January 1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor of the École de Paris who worked mainly in France.
