Modigliani

Modigliani and Picasso's relationship, as seen is the video from this week, was very complex. It appeared as if the two artists generally did not like each other during most of the movie, but at some points, their relationship was somewhat different. From my point of view, it seemed as though they only had respect for one another in the sense that they were both artists striving to make careers out of their work. Picasso constantly tried to embarrass and insult Modigliani in public. He drew a portrait of Jean, which was an insult to Modigliani, and reported his nude art show to the police. These were just a few instances where Picasso insulted Modi in public, but there were many other instances where he would talk down to and berate Modi simply because it seemed as though the two really just didn't like each other. I think Modi's general hatred came because he disliked the way Picasso acted as though he was so far above everyone else, and Modi really seemed to be pretty humble in his own right. Also, I think his hatred also stemmed from the fact that he was kind of jealous of Picasso's success, as seen by the short scene between Modi and Renoir when Modi affirms that he is "mad" (assumably at Picasso's success). Their relationship was obviously volatile, as Picasso once held a gun to Modi's head when they were on the road, but I think that this just showed that Picasso was a very arrogant man and could blow up at any minute. Also, just moments after Picasso pulls out a gun, the two are seen joking around again, which is somewhat perplexing. I think this just shows that the two men could probably have been great friends if they weren't constantly trying to compete against one another for popularity in Paris. In short, I think that this complex relationship really is developed well in the movie and really helps to bring out the personalities of both characters.