Modigliani first met Paul Guillaume in 1914. Over the course of the following year, the artist painted the influential dealer no fewer than four times. By presenting these portraits alongside personal correspondence, this exhibition at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris allows us to see how the pair’s shared tastes in literature, poetry and African art influenced Modigliani’s later work (20 September–15 January 2024). Responsible for introducing the artist to the Parisian literary and artistic elite, Guillaume was described by Modigliani as his ‘new pilot’; the words ‘Novo Pilota’ were inscribed on the first portrait he painted of the dealer. Accompanying the portraits from 1914 are paintings of other figures in their artistic milieu such as the poet Max Jacob and Elvire, Modigliani’s muse. Find out more on Musée de l’Orangerie’s website.
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Portrait of Paul Guillaume (1916), Amedeo Modigliani. Museo del Novecento, Milan. Photo: © Archives Alinari, Florence, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais/Mauro Magliani
Elvire Sitting at the Table (1919), Amedeo Modigliani. Saint Louis Art Museum. Photo: © Archives Alinari, Florence, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais/Mauro Magliani
The Young Apprentice (1917–19), Amedeo Modigliani. Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris. © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée de l’Orangerie)/Hervé Lewandowski
Paul Guillaume, Novo Pilota (1915), Amedeo Modigliani. Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris. © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée de l’Orangerie)/Hervé Lewandowski