Madame Kisling

c. 1917

Amedeo Modigliani

Artist, Italian, 1884 - 1920

This vertical portrait painting shows the head and shoulders of a person with pale peach skin and an auburn, cheek-length bob hairstyle. The person has high cheek bones, deep pink lips, and an angular, pointed chin. The head is cocked to our left, and almond-shaped eyes are nearly blacked out. The black jacket has lapels over a white, collared, buttoned-up shirt with a crimson-red necktie. Shown against brick-red and black background, the portrait is painted with areas of relatively flat color but with loose brushstrokes that create a textured, mottled effect. The artist signed the work with black paint in the lower right corner: “modigliani.” 

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
On View

East Building Ground Level, Gallery 103-A

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Chester Dale Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 46.2 x 33.2 cm (18 3/16 x 13 1/16 in.)
    framed: 62.8 x 50.4 x 6.9 cm (24 3/4 x 19 13/16 x 2 11/16 in.)

  • Accession

    1963.10.175

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Probably (Etienne Bignou, Paris);[1] (Leicester Galleries, London); sold 20 April 1927 to Chester Dale [1883-1962], New York; bequest 1963 to NGA.
[1]According to Chester Dale papers in NGA curatorial records, Leicester bought the painting from a private collector, whom Dale identified as Bignou.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1928

  • Loan Exhibition of Modern French Art from the Chester Dale Collection for the Benefit of the French Hospital of New York, Wildenstein Galleries, 1928, no. 29

1929

  • French Art Since Eighteen Hundred, The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1929, unnumbered checklist published in Museum Bulletin, no. 9 (November 1929)

1931

  • Amedeo Modigliani: Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings, Demotte, Inc., New York, 1931, no. 10.

1943

  • Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1943-1951, unnumbered cat., repro.

1952

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1952, no. 43, repro.

1965

  • The Chester Dale Bequest, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1965, unnumbered checklist.

1983

  • Modigliani: An Anniversary Exhibition, J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu; Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth; National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1983-1984, unnumbered brochure [exhibited in Washington only].

Bibliography

1929

  • Dale, Maud. Before Manet to Modigliani from the Chester Dale Collection. New York, 1929: no. 96, repro.

1943

  • Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. Philadelphia, 1943:, unpaginated, repro.

1952

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1952 (2nd ed., 1960; rev. ed., 1965): 43, repro.

1960

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings from the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1960 (2nd ed.): 45, repro.

1965

  • Twentieth Century French Paintings & Sculpture of the French School in the Chester Dale Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965 (rev. ed.): 56, repro.

  • Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 91.

1968

  • National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 80, repro.

1970

  • Ceroni, Ambrogio, and Leone Piccioni. I dipinti di Modigliani. Milan, 1970: no. 103, repro.

  • Lanthemann, Joseph. Modigliani 1884-1920. Catalogue raisonné. Barcelona, 1970: 114. no. 107, repro

1972

  • Ceroni, Ambrogio, and Françoise Cachin. Tout l'oeuvre peint de Modigliani. Translated by Simone Darses. Paris, 1972: no. 103, repro.

1975

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 238, repro.

1984

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 588, no. 907, color repro.

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 274, repro.

Inscriptions

lower right: modigliani

Wikidata ID

Q3842242

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