Bride and Groom by Amedeo Modigliani

Bride and Groom by Amedeo Modigliani

Modigliani often wrote individual portraits. This picture is one of the rare exceptions. The poet Jean Cocteau claimed that the plot was inspired by the image of a pair of nouveau riche that Modigliani saw on the street. Both are elegantly dressed. The man has an evening suit with a high white collar and bow tie.

Under the top edge of the picture you can see the bezel of his hat. The woman’s earrings are slightly larger than elegant modesty would allow her. The couple looks too flashy to claim full seriousness. The age difference may emphasize the irony of the name of the painting. A pair of aging rakes and a young kept woman is a common motive in painting. Unusual in the composition of the picture is the way the figures are located.

In the lower left corner, only the head and shoulders of a woman are visible, while the man in the right side of the picture is depicted from chest to head, and his crown does not fit on the canvas. The alternation of “empty” space and more detailed parts are clearly visible. Geometric simplifications of persons speak about the influence of cubism and, at the same time, remind the severity of African masks – Modigliani’s passion.

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