Dinner with Modigliani (Monday walk w/JO)

On Monday, I had dinner with Modigliani – and with dessert – I explored some art from the Art Institute of Chicago  – and then with some comforting evening tea, I soaked up a little wordplay with good ol’ Richard Lederer.

The best part is that I never left my house for this lovely adventure – because this week’s Walk with Jo is a promenade with books!

I had the chance to connect with a few of the books that have been patiently waiting for me! So in today’s post, I share a virtual stroll….

First – some portrait art from Modigliani:

 

Did you notice the elongated portrait style and dark outlining used by Modigliani?

Well this was influenced by Cézanne and Toulouse-Lautrec’s Expressionistic work.

And I guess Modigliani really loved Cézanne, because whenever Cézanne’s name came up – Modigliani would pull out a little copy of Boy in a Red Vest (below) and “kiss it.”

Boy in Red Vest by Cezanne 1888 or 1890

 

Modigliani was Italian, but he worked in France – and I read that while Picasso envied Modigliani’s smooth attire, he did not care for his art.  Picasso even painted over a Modigliani painting so he could use the canvas.

Sadly, alcohol and drug use became a way of life coping for this sharp-dressed, artistic party boy – and he tragically died at 35! It is suspected that he drank and used drugs because he had many physical illnesses – and later contracted TB, which there was no cure at the time.  But reading this seemed like another example of how “coping by doping” is never a solution!

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I made a video slideshow with Modigliani portraits -and I apologize that I do not have the time to insert the titles.

Side note – it was a little hard to pick the right song to go with the feel of Modigliani’s work because I wanted the rhythm of the music to work with (help) the slower feel of the portraits – while I also wanted the lyrics to align with this eccentric male artist – who resented academic art and eclectically and tragically succumbed to self-indulgneces.  “Wasting My Time” by The Fallout seemed to be the best fit….

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Second, here is a work from the AIC book that really spoke to me, it is charcoal drawing of Gorky’s mother.

Source: AIC (click photo for more info)

 

Lastly, here are a few wordplays from Lederer’s Get Thee to a Punnery.

FIRINGS 

Teachers are degraded

Farmers are distilled

Hairdressers are distressed

Mourners are decried

Swearers are discussed

Ball players are debased

Bankers are distrusted and disinterested

Dog Catchers are debarked

Songwriters are denoted

Tennis players are deduced and defaulted

Poker Players are discarded 

Brides are dismissed

Stenographers are denoted

Telephone operators are disconnected 

Train engineers are derailed

Alcoholics are delivered

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Have a nice day and to join in on some other Walks with Jo – go HERE.

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P.S. Three weeks before Modigliani died, he wrote this in his notebook:

“A new year.  Here begins a new life.” 

Modigliani worked right up until his death and he never gave up!  Let us all remember to push on no matter what is going on – let us never give up – today is a new day and good things are in store!