Amedeo Modigliani’s ‘La Belle Romaine’ for sale at Sotheby’s

Amedeo Modigliani
Nu assis sur un divan (La Belle Romaine)

Modigliani’s ‘La Belle Romaine’ for sale at Sotheby’s Amedeo Modigliani’s ‘Nu assis sur un divan (La Belle Romaine)’, the finest painting by the artist to appear at auction in recent years, will lead Sotheby’s 2 November 2010 Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale in New York (estimate in excess of $40 million).]]>

October 6th 2010, source: Sotheby’s
According to Sotheby’s, La Belle Romaine ranks among the definitive nudes in the history of Western art, continuing in the tradition of Botticelli’s Venus, Velazquez’s Rokeby Venus, Ingres’ Baigneuse turque and Manet’s Olympia. The work will be on view in Sotheby’s Hong Kong and London galleries before returning to New York for exhibition and sale.

Simon Shaw, Head of Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art Departmentin New York, said, “La Belle Romaine is a true icon. Alongside other nudesin the series, she represents Modigliani’s greatest achievement in painting.The work and artist both have a distinguished history at Sotheby’s. La BelleRomaine last appeared on the market in 1999, when it sold at Sotheby’sNew York for $16.8 million, a world record price for any work byModigliani at the time. In addition, Sotheby’s set the current record for apainting by Modigliani in 2004 with our sale of Jeanne Hébuterne (devantune porte) for $31.4 million.”

La Belle Romaine is from Modigliani’s most important series of nudes, allpainted circa 1917. Seven of the works caused a sensation upon their débutin Paris that year at the Galerie Berthe Weill, attracting a crowd as well asthe local police, who temporarily shut down the exhibition. The depiction ofcontemporary women, removed from any allegorical or historical narrativeand exuding a confident sensuality, was a new and shocking experience.

The erotic allure of La Belle Romaine is reflected in both Modigliani’spalette and his model’s pose. The amber and rose tones evoke the radiantwarmth of the figure and the intimate atmosphere in which the artistdepicts her. Seated on a cushioned surface and draped in a sheet, themodel entices the viewer with her coy attempt to shield her nudity. The tiltof her head, piled with lustrous black hair, the strained exposure of her neckand the arch of her brow, all communicate an unmistakable seduction.

Modigliani began painting nudes in 1908, but it was only after heabandoned sculpture in 1914 that he developed the signature styleepitomized by La Belle Romaine. The influences of the ItalianRenaissance, Cubism and African art are all apparent in this work: theprovocative pose of the model recalls the curvaceous anatomy of Titian’s Venus of Urbino; the linear simplicityand three-dimensional appeal demonstrate the influence of African tribal carvings as well as the artist’s ownexperience with sculpture; the composition recalls Picasso’s monumental female nudes from his Rose period.