Paul Guillaume, New Pilot
1915
Modigliani turns his friend Paul Guillaume into a modern art superhero here, scrawling 'Novo Pilota' (New Pilot) right on the canvas to declare him the fresh captain of the Paris art scene. The young dealer sports a dapper hat and suit, but his face is pure Modigliani—elongated, mask-like, and heavily influenced by African sculpture. It feels less like a traditional portrait and more like a street poster, blending Cubist geometry with a gritty, urban vibe. Guillaume was only in his early twenties when this was painted, yet he looks like a seasoned veteran steering the ship of modernism.
Location: Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris
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