Maternity
- Original dimensions
- 81 x 129.8 cm
- Museum
- Lille Métropole Museum of Modern Art, Contemporary Art and Outsider Art
- Year
- 1919
Scene depicted
This canvas depicts a mother and her child, with the tenderness and protection that emanate from this sacred relationship. The work evokes the sweetness of femininity, a pure and transcendent intimacy, captured with a unique sensitivity that reveals itself to the viewer, immersing them in a calm and soothing universe.
Historical context
Created in 1919, during a pivotal period of modern art, this painting is part of the expressionist movement, characterized by its stylized lines and elongated forms. It is in Lille, in a vibrant cultural context, that this canvas currently resides, emblematic of Modigliani's work.
Place in the artist's career
Maternity stands at a peak of Modigliani's career, fully illustrating his distinctive style. Alongside La Femme aux cheveux longs and Nu couché, one perceives an obvious evolution in his approach to form, where emotion takes precedence over realistic representation.
Anecdote
Modigliani, in his artistic quest, often said: “Each canvas is a silent cry of the soul.” He drew inspiration from the soft, bright mornings of Paris, where a simple encounter in an alley transported him, infusing life into the painting that became this touching masterpiece, Maternity.