Amedeo Modigliani was born in 1884 in Livorno, Italy. He moved to Florence in 1902 and studied at Academia di Belle Arti, which translates to “Free School of Nude Studies.” After that he moved to Venice to work as a professional artist. He started experimenting with drugs. He moved to Paris and drank alcohol, smoked heavily, and drank absinthe. He started using narcotics, which led him to the philosophical belief that creativity was only possible through rebellion. This led to a life of addiction and his eventual death from tuberculosis. His unexpected death at 36 was followed by his wife’s suicide. His reckless behavior was prompted with his diagnosis of tuberculosis when he was young, which made him feel as though he didn’t need to make an effort to better his life. Modigliani created a large number of works, but most were given away or destroyed by him.

Madame Pompadour (1914)

La Gand Nu (1917)