Friday the 24th marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of Amedeo Modigliani. I realize anniversaries of deaths normally aren't newsworthy however it was a remarkable event.
Most importantly is that his funeral procession from the pauper's hospital to Pere Lachaise cemetery included just about every modern artist in Paris.
But also that his passing tended to bring him the recognition he deserved yet didn't adequately receive during his career.
Many historians agree that when the "Prince of Montparnasse" passed away it marked the end of the era of Bohemian lifestyle so many modern artists enjoyed during that special period of collaboration in Paris.
Of course there was also the melancholy drama of Jeanne Hebuterne, his lover pregnant with his 2nd child who leaped to her death the morning after he died.
I was surprised that none of the Modigliani aficionados in the US planned any kind of commemoration. Though the expert Marc Restellini is hosting a seminar in Livorno, Modigliani's birthplace.
By
Dean Chapman
