Modigliani's Portrait of Paul Guillaume

This is Modigliani's 1915 portrait of Paul Guillaume, a friend and art dealer who gave Modigliani crucial support during a financially difficult period — and the painting carries a visible warmth as a result.

Unlike Modigliani's usual preference for soft curves, Guillaume's face is rendered with sharper angles, and while Modigliani typically left the pupils out of his portraits, here he drew them in clearly. The upper left corner bears the name "Paul Guillaume" written boldly in black, while the lower left reads "Novo Pilota" ("new pilot") in white — a nickname Modigliani gave him for his willingness to back new art. Guillaume was just 23 when this was painted, yet already an established figure in the art world, and that confidence comes through in the portrait.