With a few well-placed lines, artist Amedeo Modigliani captured his quiet adoration of the women he was portraying. This piece was created in 1916, a year during the artist's career that he spent concentrating on painting nudes. The identity of the depicted is unclear, we can, however, exclude his last companion, fiancée and muse Jeanne Hébuterne, since Modigliani and the young art student did not get to know each other until the following year. The piece will be going under the hammer on 25th May at Wannenes, Milan.
On 20th May, the auction house will be offering something a little different, a zoo of animal-inspired jewellery.
Left: FRASCAROLO - gold brooch, enamel, diamonds and emeralds
Right: CARTIER - Panther platinum brooch, onyx, diamonds and emeralds
Left: FRASCAROLO - gold ring, enamel, diamonds and rubies
Right: FRASCAROLO - gold, enamel, diamond and ruby bracelet
Jewellery featuring animal motifs was extremely popular in the 1960s. Gold and enamel jewelry, with various coloured stones and diamonds, were created by master jewellers American David Webb and the Italian Pietro Frascarolo.
Left: DAVID WEBB - Gold, enamel, diamonds and ruby bracelet
Right: D'AMBROSIO - gold, enamel, diamonds and rubies
Pietro Frascarolo was born in Milan in 1928 and, together with Aldo Lenti, founded a company at the end of the 1940s. Their greatest successes were the animal motif pieces that were created in the 1960s.
Left: Gold armband, enamel, diamonds and rubies
Right: D'AMBROSIO - gold, enamel, diamonds and rubies
David Webb was also born in the 1920s and opened his jewelleery business in 1948. Webb's designs were extremely popular and were worn by Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie Kennedy.
