The artwork “Portrait of Anna Zborowska” is an oil on canvas painting created by Amedeo Modigliani in 1919, in Paris, France. This piece belongs to the Expressionism art movement and falls under the genre of portrait. As of the knowledge cutoff date in April 2023, the painting is housed in a private collection.
This portrait by Modigliani features the distinctive stylistic elements characteristic of his work. The subject, Anna Zborowska, is rendered with elongated forms and a stylized representation that prioritizes emotional expression over realistic depiction. Her face is oval with a long, slender neck, and her eyes, consistent with many of Modigliani’s portraits, are almond-shaped and lack pupils, giving them a haunting, mask-like quality.
In the portrait, Zborowska’s figure is centrally positioned against a muted background with a candle and holder to her right, adding a still-life component to the composition. Her attire is simplified, with subtle hints of patterning, which along with the rest of the image, is represented in a limited color palette primarily consisting of earth tones and greys.
Modigliani’s artistic technique is evident through his use of smooth, flowing lines and the gentle transitions between the forms, which give the portrait a sense of calm and introspection. Overall, the artwork captures the essence of Modigliani’s unique approach to portraiture during his time in Paris, where he developed his iconic style that blended modernist abstraction with elements of traditional portraiture and sculpture.
