Between 1915 and 1920, Amedeo Modigliani executed many portraits in a style characterized by sparse settings and figures rendered with elongated bodies, oval heads, and seemingly blank eyes. The subject of this painting is said to be Marie Feret, a country girl from the south of France, and everything about the composition underscores a servant’s role—from her clothing to diminutive stance. However, there is a certain dignity to the figure, which Modigliani achieved through the use of color and line to unify the composition.

Label from Picasso: The Artist and His Models, November 5, 2016–February 19, 2017