The Young Maid by Amedeo Modigliani

The full-length portrait entitled “The Young Maid” is remarkably distinguished by its extremely elongated vertical format, which is highly characteristic of Modigliani Amedeo. Painted during his final active years in Paris, this masterpiece of the School of Paris magnifies a modest figure from everyday working-class life. The artist successfully bestows a timeless nobility upon his sitter, raising her silhouette into a column of pure emotion and human dignity.

The young maid stands upright in the center of the composition, her hands quietly joined in front of her simple, black dress. Her dark garment is contrasted by a large, delicate white collar that beautifully illuminates the upper portion of her bust. Her oval face is elegantly elongated, topped by dark hair tied back in a simple bun. Her blue, almond-shaped, pupil-less eyes seem to look into the distance, giving the portrait a silent and melancholic mood. The tiled floor in ochre tones and the very plain blue-grey background of the room reinforce her sense of profound solitude and humble grace.

The artist’s mastery of the oil medium is clearly evident in the contrast between the deep black dress and the clean white collar. His exceptional craftsmanship is expressed through the precision of the elegant, sinuous lines that structure her entire vertical silhouette.