The young woman has pink skin, blonde wavy hair, up-turned nose, and a pouty, slightly open mouth. She is motioning outward energetically, a picture of youthful freshness. Modigliani’s portrait offers an enchanting peek into the personality of his lover. Beatrice Hastings arrived in Montparnasse in April 1914. She was a poet and correspondent for the English journal New Age. Sculptor Ossip Zadkine introduced the young English woman to Modigliani, who immediately fell in love with her, although their affair was brief. In numerous portraits, the human face and form remained Modigliani’s passion for the rest of his short life. He died in 1920.
			Amedeo Modigliani Portrait of Beatrice Hastings, ca. 1916 Oil on canvas 16 15/16 x 10 5/8 in. (43 x 27 cm) The Whitehead Collection (Courtesy Achim Moeller Fine Art, New York)