Artwork
Reclining Nude

Reclining Nude is an oil painting by Amedeo Modigliani. It dates from 1917 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The figure, rendered in oil on canvas in 1917, occupies a sensual, languid pose that emphasizes the elongated contours characteristic of the artist’s style.
The painting depicts a reclining female nude, a subject Modigliani explored intensively in the years leading up to his death. The figure, rendered in oil on canvas in 1917, occupies a sensual, languid pose that emphasizes the elongated contours characteristic of the artist’s style. Symbolically, the work aligns with the tradition of the erotic nude while also suggesting a modernist preoccupation with the body’s formal distortion and psychological intensity.
Its presence in the Metropolitan Museum of Art underscores its significance within Modigliani’s oeuvre and the broader narrative of early‑twentieth‑century avant‑garde representations of femininity.
Technique & Style
Reclining Nude is an oil painting on canvas executed by Amedeo Modigliani in 1917. The work measures 60.6 cm in height by 92.7 cm in width, giving it a broad horizontal format suited to its reclining subject. It belongs to Modigliani's celebrated series of nudes, a body of work for which he is widely recognized.
Stylistically, the painting reflects Modigliani's signature approach to the female nude, characterized by elongated forms and a distinctive linear sensibility. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the work is held, identifies it as a painting classified within the nude genre.
History & Provenance
Amedeo Modigliani executed Reclining Nude in 1917 as part of his celebrated series of nude paintings. Created using oil on canvas, the work measures 60.6 by 92.7 centimeters. Following its creation, the painting entered the collection of Léopold Zborowski.
It was subsequently owned by Klaus Perls before being acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it remains part of the permanent collection under the accession number 1997.149.9.
Context
Created in 1917, the Reclining Nude stands as a pivotal work within Amedeo Modigliani's celebrated series of nudes. Executed in oil on canvas, the painting exemplifies the artist's mature style during his final years in Paris. The work is currently held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it serves as a key example of early 20th-century modernism.
Its inclusion in this renowned series highlights Modigliani's significant contribution to the depiction of the female form, bridging traditional academic subjects with modernist abstraction.
Legacy
The painting has become emblematic of Modigliani's series of nudes, influencing subsequent artists who adopt his elongated forms and simplified contours. Its presence in a major museum has ensured ongoing scholarly attention and public visibility, reinforcing the work's reputation as a key example of early 20th‑century modernism. The legacy of this work continues to shape discussions of modernist portraiture and the cultural reception of the reclining nude in contemporary art history.
Overview
Created in 1917, this oil on canvas depicts a reclining female figure and belongs to Amedeo Modigliani’s series of nudes. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection in New York.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Amedeo Clemente Modigliani (US: ; Italian: ; 12 July 1884 – 24 January 1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor of the École de Paris who worked mainly in France.












![Reclining Nude [recto], by Paul Gauguin](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/paul-gauguin--reclining-nude-recto--d1fc118bcb52835d-w320.webp)