Paul Guillaume

Paul Guillaume is a sensitive pencil on paper drawing executed by Amedeo Modigliani in 1916. This crucial work, classified as a drawing, captures the likeness of the influential Parisian art dealer who greatly supported the Italian artist's career during World War I. Modigliani’s technique relies on meticulous draftsmanship, utilizing the sharp point of the pencil to define contours, suggesting volume and form through delicate shading rather than heavy line work.

Created while Modigliani was living and working in Paris, the portrait exemplifies the distinctive style the artist perfected around 1916. The sitter, Paul Guillaume, is rendered with the characteristically elongated forms, almond-shaped eyes, and long, graceful neck that define Modigliani’s mature portraiture. Although the features are specific to the sitter, they are highly stylized, reflecting Modigliani’s sophisticated synthesis of classical sculptural traditions and influences from primitive art, particularly the aesthetics of African masks, which were gaining notoriety in European artistic circles.

The work is profoundly important both artistically and historically, documenting the intense professional relationship between the two men. As an Italian working abroad, Modigliani (1884-1920) relied heavily on patrons and dealers such as Guillaume to survive and market his unique modern vision. The piece maintains the powerful, introspective quality for which Modigliani is celebrated, conveying psychological depth through its elegant simplicity. The drawing stands as a testament to the artist’s mastery of line, demonstrating his ability to achieve profound presence even in the stark medium of graphite. This key portrait from 1916 is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). High-quality prints of works from this period often enter the public domain, allowing broader access to Modigliani’s contributions to modern art history.