#ModiglianiUpClose 4/18: Rumour has it that Modigliani set lit candles atop his sculpted heads to evoke the sacred ambience of an ancient temple. His neighbor observed: “On those occasions it was interesting to see how he would decorate his studio. He would arrange candles, bought cheaply in the bazaars, light them and set them up everywhere, on the walls. . . He would move his sculptures here and there, arranging them under different lighting (Bálint, Muvészek Párizsban). And a friend remarked: “I can still see Modigliani, drunk and happy, holding a bunch of lighted candles—as many as half a dozen at a time—walking around his sculpted heads, slowly at first, then faster and faster, dripping on everything, scalding his fingers, but delighted with the effects of light and shade created on the figures: Buddhist expressions, restless, fantastical . . . It wasn’t unusual to see him watering those busts with a pitcher.” (Macedo, Cité Falguière). Well, medium analysis substantiates anecdotes about #Modigliani’s theatrical rituals and workspace.Samples of the buildup on the Barnes and PMA sculptures analyzed using FTIR determined the presence of beeswax! But that’s not all: several of the heads, (sculpted from limestone) contain fossils! FOSSILS. For example, bryozoans (moss animals) and crinoids (sea lilies) are visible in the stone of the Barnes Head. Here, our selection of heads are arranged in a staggard circular configuration that recalls Modigliani’s “ensemble décoratif” at the Salon d’automne in 1912. He created seven heads over a span of 18 months. Within the exhibition space, this set-up provides *to-die-for* opportunities for comparative looking between the paintings on the walls and the heads. 👏 to designer @yaumu.h Pictured: Amedeo Modigliani ‘Head’ 1911–12 @barnesfoundation ‘Head of a Woman’ 1912 @philamuseum 🖼#Modigliani #AmedeoModigliani #20thcenturyart #italianartist #artist #modernart #fineart #sculpture #sculptor #artwork #closelooking #arthistory #exhibition #stone #limestone #africanart #cubism #cubist #face #brancusi #artoftheday #artdaily #dailyart #artlover #ArtLovers #exhibition #atmosphere #dramatic #sacred #mood