Christian Parisot

CATALOGUE RAISONN

MODIGLIANI
TOME V

Jeanne Modigliani Claudio Strinati

14

15

The sign of Modigliani

Claudio Strinati President Scientific Committee Modigliani Institut

Modigliani is the artist who poses as a bridge of transition between all the vanguard currents edge and that of its particular pictorial expression, between innovation and the continuation of traditional arts. Modiglianis painting is an extreme quality, introverted, introspective. It is not possible to know the thoughts of Amedeo Modigliani, his ref lections, the deductions that drew from that experience, which occurred between 1908 and 1913 in Paris. Can be established, however, some points that help us understand the factors of change: from Livorno to Paris, from Fattori to Picasso, the forms change, get rich tribal cultures, while still being contaminated by Western culture, from the volumes decomposed and reconstructed of the newborn cubista vanguard. If you look at the work, from drawing to sculpture, from the point of view, one realizes that the livornese artist is literally dipped in his images: like a person who only looks to his model, the sensitivity of his living patterns. One out of himself, crossed by the Italian and French experience, a chance for the artist to communicate with others, to be open to new experiences. By the impact with the African cultures comes a new interpretation of the model. If there is not communication there is no culture, no understanding, there is no civilization. Modigliani lives meditating on the works of African tribal tradition and communicate through its Western development. A strange tie alloy the artist to the poetry of Dante, that it seems born from the dispute by Tuscan poets with the new generation of cursed poets, ruined by drugs and alcohol, living in bistrots and burn their lives with existential anxiety: this transition from the traditional poetic language to that suggested by the tension of the cultures, which is above, seems to be the land on which Modigliani build his new artistic expression in Paris. Perhaps a visionary Modigliani, than will give back his lucubrations to us drawn on the Divine Comedy, with the discovery of his preparatory sketches: the subject is at the heart of our actuality. The life of Modigliani does not possess that rare documents regarding his work. We have many testimonies of relatives, friends, and is possible still find some traces, some plan to better recompose his biography: very interesting for our search is his relationship with Brancusi, that it determining his true break with the tradition of classical sculpture. Which works can be seen, for him cubist avantgardist? May be seen, for example, works by Picasso and Derain, but his work will always remain near his way to express the volumes. The sign, engraved and slim the sketch is essentially that of the sculptor and the lines of force define it still better. Modigliani critically observes what is taken for granted, refuses it, shall prepare and gives back it according to his aesthetic. This is a dispute happened in Paris, in Montmartre and Montparnasse between the most famous artists, among the most important intellectuals of the period and the most controversial trends in art history. There is no poet or artist, in his saying or in his fare, fully understood: Modigliani is one of them and in this mysterious interval between the archaic and the time that hides the source of his inspiration and his personal reading of the world.

98

99

N U D E B O U T X I/XXX 1912-13
Pierre dEuville 162,8 x 33,2 x 29,6 cm. Australian National Gallery, Canberra Archive Ambrogio Ceroni, Amedeo Modigliani dessins et sculptures, d. Milione, Milan, 1965, pls. 54, 55; Ambrogio Ceroni, I dipinti di Modigliani, Rizzoli d., Milan, 1970, n. XI; Joseph Lanthemann, Catalogue raisonn, Grafics Condal, Barcelone, 1970, n. 636; Osvaldo Patani, Amedeo Modigliani, catalogo generale sculture e disegni 1909-1914, vol.1, Leonardo d., Milan, 1992, n. 25. J. Lipchitz, Amedeo Modigliani, New York, 1954, pl. 13 (mmes ditions en allemand et en franais. En italien avec texte par M. Valsecchi); J. T. Soby, Modigliani, The Museum of Moderne Art, New York, 1954, p. 19; Jeanne Modigliani, Modigliani senza leggenda, Florence, 1958, p. 54; Modigliani, d. Nizutsu, Tokyo, 1960, p. 90; Alfred Werner, Amedeo Modigliani, Nouvelles ditions Franaises, Paris, 1961, p. 46, n. 1; Werner, 1966, p. 22; A. Werner, Amedeo Modigliani, d. Circle dArt, Paris, 1968, p. 22; J. Soby, Modigliani, catalogue exposition Museum of Moderne Art, New York, 1972, p. 23; Carol Mann, Modigliani, d. Thames and Hudson, Londres, 1980, pl. 46; J. Soby, Modigliani, catalogue exposition Museum of Moderne Art, New York, 1981, p. 23; N.L. Rizzatti, Modigliani, d. Mondadori, Milan, 1980, p. 101; D. Hall, Modigliani, Oxford, 1984, pl. 13; J. Lassaigne, Tout Modigliani, d. Flammarion, Paris, 1982, p. 9; V. Durb, Modigliani, gli anni della scultura, d. Mondadori, Milan, 1984, pl. 11; C. Roy, Modigliani, d. Nathan, Paris, 1985, p. 61; A. Werner, Amedeo Modigliani, d. Habrams, New York, 1985, pl. 22, p. 22; Castieau-Barrielle, Modigliani, d. ACR, Paris, 1987, p. 87; Carol Mann, Modigliani, d. Parco, Tokyo, 1987, p. 99; Catalogue exposition Dsseldorf- Zurich, 1991, fig. 15; D. Krystof, Amedeo Modigliani, la posie du regard, Taschen, Kln, 1996, p. 25; Artium, The international art magazine, spring/summer 1997, p. 51; W. Schmalenbach, catalogue exposition Modigliani, d. Prestel, Munich, 1990-91, p. 21; F. Alexander, Amedeo Modigliani, Parkstone press, New York, 2000, p. 26, n. 13; Marc Restellini, catalogue exposition Modigliani. Lange au visage grave, Skira, Milan, 2002, p. 17; Illustration catalogue Sothebys, Impressionist & modern art, Londres, 6 fv. 2002, p. 54; Marc Restellini, catalogue exposition Modigliani. Langelo dal volto severo, Skira, Milan, 2003 p. 9, fig. 2; Fiorella Nicosia, Vita dartista: Modigliani, d. Giunti, 2005 p. 57; Matilde Battistini, Modigliani, Mondadori Electa, Milan, 2005, p. 49; W. Schmalenbach, Modigliani, Prestel Verlag, Munich-Berlin-Londres-New York, 2005, p. 21; Rudy Chiappini, catalogue exposition Modigliani, Skira, Milan, 2006, p. 218, n. 10; Maria Sol Garca Galland, Modigliani, Moscou, 2006, p. 34; Doris Kristof, Modigliani, Taschen, Kln, 2009, p. 25; G. Belli, F. Fergonzi, A. Del Puppo, Modigliani scultore, Silvana ditions, Milan, 2010. New York, Modigliani, The Museum of Moderne Art, 1951; Cleveland, Modigliani, The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1951, p. 23; Cincinnati, 1959, n. 55; New York, 1964, n.1; New York, 1966, n. 12.

Bibliographie

Expositions

X I/X X X

100

101

T T E DE F E M M E (Stle)
Historique Collection particulire, Paris; Franois Reichenbach, Paris; Jacques Gurin, Paris; Jacques Lindon, New York; Gustav Schindler, New York; Curt Valentin Gallery, New York, 1951; Gaston T. de Havenon, New York,1976.

X II/ XXX 1 9 1 1 - 1 2

Pierre dEuville 58 x 12 x 16 cm. Signe en haut sur le cot droite Muse National dart Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. Archive Ambrogio Ceroni, Amedeo Modigliani dessins et sculptures, d. Milione, Milan, 1965, pls. 58, 59; Ambrogio Ceroni, I dipinti di Modigliani, d. Rizzoli, Milan, 1970, n. XII; Joseph Lanthemann, Catalogue raisonn, Grafics Condal, Barcelone, 1970, n. 618; Osvaldo Patani, Amedeo Modigliani, catalogo generale sculture e disegni 1909-1914, vol.1, d. Leonardo, Milan, 1992, n. 18. A. Salmon, Modigliani sa vie et son uvre, Paris, 1926, pl. 50; C. Einstein, Die Kunst des 20. Jahrunderts, d. In Propylaes- Verlag Zu Berlin, 1926, p. 225; A. Salmon, Modigliani, d. Des Quatres Chemins, Paris, 1926, p. 49; Basler, 1928, p. 38; A. Pfannstiel, Modigliani, Paris, 1929, p. 82a; A. Basler, Modigliani, Paris, 1931, pl. I; R. Franchi, Modigliani, Florence, 1944, pl. 51; Nietta Apr, Tormento di Modigliani, Milan, 1945, p. 33; R. Franchi, Modigliani, d. Arnaud, Florence, 1946, pl. LI; Dorival, 1949; Dorival, 1950; R. Carrieri, Pittura, Scultura dAvanguardia 1890-1950 in Italia, Milan, 1950, pl. 109; Catalogue exposition dArt Moderne Italien, Muse National dArt Moderne, Paris, 1950, n. 105, pl. 16; E. Carli, Amedeo Modigliani, d. De Luca, Rome.1952, pl. 27; Modigliani, introduction par Zborowski et Cassou, d. Sigma Tau, Rome, 1952, n. 23; Revue, Omaggio a Modigliani, in Rivista di Livorno, juillet- aot 1954, pl. 17; Jeanne Modigliani, Modigliani senza leggenda, Florence, 1958, pl. 72; Jeanne Modigliani, Modigliani sans lgende, Grnd, Paris, 1962; 72; A. Werner, Modigliani sculpteur, d. Nagel, Paris-Genve- Hambourg, 1962, pls. 5, 6, 7, 8; Russoli, 1967, p. 169; Nello Ponente, Modigliani, d. Sades, Florence, 1969, pl. 3; J. P. Crespelle, Modigliani, d. Presse de la Cit, Paris, 1969, p. 128; Lcole de Paris, Chuokoron-Sha, Japon,1974, couverture; J. Warnod, La Ruche et Montparnasse, d. Weber, Paris, 1978, p. 79; Carol Mann, Modigliani, d. Thames and Hudson, Londres, 1980, pl. 33; 25 great masters of Modern Art-Modigliani, Kodansha Ltd., Japon, 1980, pl. 62; B. Zurcher, Modigliani, d. Hazan, Paris, 1980. n. 31; Catalogue exposition Modigliani, Muse S. Georges, Lige, 1980, p. 35; L. Carluccio- J. Leymarie, Lcole de Paris, d. Rive Gauche, Paris, 1981, p. 202; V. Durb, Modigliani, gli anni della scultura, d. Mondadori, Milan, 1984, pl. 13; Jeanne Modigliani racconta Modigliani, d. Graphis Arte, Livourne, 1984, p. 79; D. Hall, Modigliani, Phaidon, Oxford, 1984, pl. 13 et couverture; C. Roy, Modigliani, d. Nathan, Paris, 1985, p. 55; B. Schuster, Modigliani, a study of his sculpture, d.Namega, USA, 1986, p. 43; Carol Mann, Modigliani, d. Parco, Tokyo, 1987, p. 81; Castieau-Barrielle, Modigliani, d. ACR, Paris, 1987, p. 93; R. Guldwater, Le primitivisme dans lart moderne, d. Puf, Paris, 1988, p. 128; J. Warnod, Les artistes de Montparnasse, d. Nayer, Paris, 1988, p. 87; J. L. Fevrier, Laventure de lart, d. Chne- Hachette, Paris, 1988, p. 203; Catalogue exposition Paris, patrie de peintres trangers, d. Nanichi, Tokyo, 1989, p. 117; Catalogue exposition, Paris, capitale des Arts, d. Didier Imbert Fine Arts, Paris, 1989, pl. 66; W. Schmalenbach,

Bibliographie

102

103

Modigliani, 1990, pls. 20, 148; Modigliani, Shueisha, Japon, 1990; C. Parisot, Il segno, Modigliani, d. Electa, Milan, 1990, p. 53; J. Rose, Modigliani, d. Constable, Londres, 1990, p. 83; W. Schmalenbach, catalogue exposition Modigliani, d. Prestel, Munich, 1991, p. 20, pl. 94; P. Durieu, Modigliani, Iwanami Shoten ditions, Tokyo,1996, p. 20; Catalogue exposition Linear Grace: Drawings and Sculputers by Amedeo Modigliani, Hong Kong, 2003, p. 50; Marc Restellini, catalogue exposition Modigliani. Lange au visage grave, Skira, Milan, 2002, pp. 138, 139; Marc Restellini, catalogue exposition Modigliani. Langelo dal volto severo, Skira, Milan, 2003 pp. 132, 133; Mason Klein, catalogue exposition Modigliani Beyond the Myth, Yale University Press, New York, 2004, p. 100; Jeanne Modigliani, Modigliani, mio padre, Abscondita, Milan, 2005, p. 29; W. Schmalenbach, Modigliani, Prestel Verlag, Munich-Berlin-Londres-New York, 2005, p. 20, pl. 94; W. Schmalenbach, Modigliani, Prestel Verlag, Munich-BerlinLondres-New York, 2005, pl. 94; Rudy Chiappini, catalogue exposition Modigliani, Skira, Milan, 2006, p. 40, n. 3; Catalogue exposition Les peintres sculpteurs, Hatje Cantz Verlag, Baden-Baden, 2008, pp. 12, 54; Nel Alexandre, The unknown Modigliani, Mercatorfonds, Ghent, 2009, p. 240; G. Belli, F. Fergonzi, A. Del Puppo, Modigliani scultore, Silvana ditions, Milan, 2010, p. 152; Beatrice Buscaroli, Ricordi via Roma, Il Saggiatore, Milan, 2010; Modigliani, exposition au Snat, en Lestampille lobjet dart, n. 5 H, Sipe, France, p. 29; F. Nicosia, Modigliani, Abril Colees, Sao Paulo, 2011, p. 14. Expositions Paris, Exposition dArt Moderne Italien, Muse dArt Moderne, 1950; Rome, 1951-52; Dsseldorf- Zurich, 1991, n. 94; Paris, Modigliani. Lange au visage grave, Muse du Luxembourgh, 23/10/200202/03/2003; Hong Kong, Linear Grace: Drawings and Sculputers by Amedeo Modigliani,University Museum and Art Gallery, 2003, n. 21; Milan, Modigliani. Langelo dal volto severo, Palazzo Reale, 21/03- 06/07 2003; New York, Modigliani Beyond the Myth, The Jewish Museum, 21/05- 19/09 2004, pl. 15; Baden-Baden, Les peintres sculpteurs, Museum Frieder Burda, 2008, n. 24; Rovereto, Modigliani scultore, Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, 18/12/201027/03/2011, cat. 24. Lopold Zborowski, Paris; Collection particulire, Paris.

Historique

X I I/X X X

186

187

107/13

108/13

109/13

103/13

104/13

110/13

111/13

112/13

105/13

106/13

113/13

114/13

115/13

314

315

La controverse propos du blanc de titane et son introduction comme pigment dans le monde de la peinture au dbut du 20ime sicle
Bernhelm Bonk
La longue controverse propos de lutilisation du blanc de titane dans le monde de la peinture du 20 ime sicle ne proccupe pas seulement le monde de lart, mais aussi, de plus en plus, celui de la justice. Ainsi, rcemment, en France, des tableaux du peintre Amedeo Modigliani, mort en 1920, contenant du blanc de titane et pour cette raison considrs comme des faux ont t saisis par les autorits. Et cela, bien que ds 1981, Le Laboratoire de Recherche des Muses de France rende compte dans son rapport dtudes sur des recherches scientifiques effectues sur divers tableaux de Modigliani, la prsence de blanc de titane dans les uvres de celui-ci (par exemple dans le portrait inachev que Modigliani a ralis de son ami-peintre Diego Rivera en 1914).1 Cette preuve satisfaisant aux exigences scientifiques est ignore avec une certaine arrogance allguant que la production du blanc de titane naurait commenc, en France, quaprs 1920. Il est vrai que, en France, la production industrielle du blanc de titane a en effet commenc aprs 1920 tel que Lefranc et Bourgeois, une entreprise de renom et depuis trs longtemps tablie a pu le confirmer Dr. Thomas Brachert (restaurateur allemand) qui stait adress elle dans lanne 1971 pour avoir des informations sur la date du dbut de production du blanc de titane. La rponse de lentreprise Lefranc et Bourgeois ladite demande de renseignements de Dr. Brachert contient, vrai dire un indice particulirement instructif, raison pour laquelle nous tenons lexposer ci-dessous cause de son importance primordiale comme preuve pour fixer la date la plus avance dans le temps pour le blanc de titane comme peinture pour les artistes peintres. Les recherches, pour fixer la date la plus ancienne de la production de blanc de titane, en France, ont dur assez longtemps parce quun grand nombre darchives a t dtruit depuis la seconde guerre mondiale. Cependant, en ce qui concerne la maison Lefranc, la vente a commenc en 1927 et en 1922 pour la maison Bourgeois. En tout cas, nous nous permettons dattirer votre attention sur le fait que le blanc de titane date de la fin du 19ime sicle et quil tait possible un peintre davoir accs ce pigment soit auprs de relations, soit directement; le peintre se chargeant lui-mme du mlange (texte dune lettre du 7ime septembre 1971 de Lefranc et Bourgeois Dr. Thomas Brachert voir: Thomas Brachert dans Technische Mitteilungen, Restauro 4/1988, page 252: Seit wann gibt es Titanwei?/Depuis quand est-ce que le blanc de titane existe?).2 Cette prcision instructive de la maison Lefranc et Bourgeois daprs laquelle le blanc de titane daterait de la fin du 19ime sicle est exacte puisquaux Etats-Unis, celui-ci est produit depuis 1870 par Overton. Lencyclopdie de chimie industrielle, couleurs et peintures de 1924 en tmoigne et fait mention de lutilisation du blanc de titane sous sa forme Rutil.3 Ce nest que bien plus tard que le dveloppement du dioxyde de titane seffectua aux Etats-Unis, savoir en 1908, grce au chimiste Auguste Rossi, dorigine franaise, qui fit assurer lutilisation du dioxyde de titane comme pigment en faisant enregistrer un brevet dinvention. Daprs Dr. W.A. Dyes, dans le journal du chimiste (Chemikerzeitung) 88 de 1918, le blanc de titane fut, trs vite, aprs son invention par Rossi en 1908, produit en quantit

50/1916 Margherita

316

317

croissante et, ceci, non pas seulement des fins exprimentales, mais en tant que peinture blanche.4 Indpendamment de cela et paralllement au dveloppement qui soprait aux Etats-Unis, en Europe, et plus exactement en Norvge, le chimiste Dr. Peder Farup sintressa au pigment de dioxyde de titane. Par consquent, historiquement parlant, il est sr quaux Etats-Unis, avant le dbut de la 1ire guerre mondiale, le blanc de titane tait dj produit sous forme de dioxyde de titane impur dans des quantits non ngligeables et que de l, le pigment, sous sa forme encore impure et imparfaite de dioxyde de titane, se propagea en Europe dans la qualit que Charles Coffignier dcrit ainsi dans son livre Couleurs et Vernis paru en 1921: Le produit commercial est une poudre blanche qui manque un peu de puret car elle contient une trs faible quantit doxyde de fer.5 Le scepticisme des professionnels europens de la peinture envers le blanc de titane durera jusque dans les annes 20 du 20ime sicle. Ce nest que peu peu quils introduisirent, dans le milieu des annes 20, le blanc de titane sous sa modification anatase dans leur gamme de pigments. Et vers 1930, seulement, le pigment tait gnralement accept.6 A part cela, il peut tre considr comme historiquement sr que le pigment doxyde de titane sous sa forme primaire, telle que Charles Coffignier la dcrite, savoir, une poudre blanche, tait aussi bien la disposition de lindustrie, des fins de dveloppement, qu celle des peintres, des fins exprimentales. Cest aussi lavis dont il est fait tat dans The Pigment Compendium, A dictionary of historical pigments de Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chapman et Ruth Siddall, aux ditions Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann de 2004, page 364. Selon cette rfrence, les artistes peintres qui taient en relation avec les fabricants de peinture taient en mesure de se procurer de loxyde de titane dj avant 1916 et de lutiliser comme peinture des fins exprimentales6 dj avant la premire guerre mondiale. Daprs lannuaire du commerce et de lindustrie de ces annes, rien que pour Paris, il devait y avoir, au dbut du 20ime sicle, plus de 250 commerces de peinture. Les marchands de peinture achetaient les matires premires et fabriquaient leurs propres produits dans leurs arrire-boutiques. Ils taient trs souvent en changes constants avec le monde des artistes et changeaient leurs points de vue. Daprs les indications de la maison Lefranc et Bourgeois, il est aussi certain quil tait possible pour un artiste de se procurer le pigment de dioxyde de titane, soit par des relations, soit directement et de le prparer et ce, bien avant la production industrielle du blanc de titane. Ds la fin de la 1ire guerre mondiale, une discussion sest engage dans la littrature propos du blanc de titane; ainsi en Allemagne, avec une srie darticles de Dr. E. O. Rasser qui commenait par son article fondamental dans Technische Mitteilungen fiir Malerei / Informations techniques pour la peinture, anne 39 de 1923, pp, 43;7 en Angleterre avec la publication de Noel Heaton Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, juin 1922;8 et dans la publication de W. H. Washburn et J. McGougan, parue dans Proceedings of the Paint and Varnish Society, Session 1920-1921, en vue de la rencontre et de la confrence du 10.03.1921. Que la discussion sur le blanc de titane dmarre aussi tard en Europe, cest--dire seulement aprs la fin de la 1ire guerre mondiale, semble logique et comprhensible: Pendant les 4 annes de la 1ire guerre mondiale, dautres thmes taient de plus grand intrt et de plus grande importance que la discussion sur le dveloppement et lutilisation de peintures pour artistes peintres. Mais cela ne peut en aucun cas tre considr comme indice que, durant la 1ire guerre mondiale, il ny aurait eu aucun dveloppement et aucune exprimentation de faits. Cest justement le soudain intrt accru pour le nouveau pigment pour les artistes peintres, immdiatement aprs la 1ire guerre mondiale, cest--dire au dbut des annes 20 du 20ime sicle qui fait que, grce lancienne production assure du pigment de dioxyde de titane, lutilisation par les artistes est, non pas seulement possible, mais au plus haut point vraisemblable. Ce qui nous ramne lindication de Lefranc et Bourgeois, selon laquelle, en France, il tait possible pour un peintre de se procurer le pigment de blanc de titane et de le prparer, avant que dbute la production industrielle et sa commercialisation qui, comme dj dit plus haut, cause du scepticisme permanent des fabricants de peinture, ne commenceront quau dbut des annes 20 du 20ime sicle. Si lon suit largumentation qui se base sur la thse que la premre guerre mondiale rend difficile, voire impossible, le transport par mer, raison pour laquelle celle-ci ne veut pas admettre la preuve que, en France, le blanc de titane ait pu tre utilis comme peinture pour artistes avant la fin de la 1ire guerre mondiale. Cependant. dans cette argumentation nentre pas en ligne de compte le fait quaux Etats-Unis, avant le dbut de la guerre, la production existante et le pigment produit en quantit importante aient pu, de l-bas, tre transports en Europe pour y tre rpandus. Cependant, cette poque, sous la forme impure que Coffignier dcrit comme une poudre blanche laquelle manque la puret.

51/1916 Madame Dorival au chapeau

318

319

Les sources: 1 Ltude au Laboratoire de Recherche des Muses de France par Suzy Delbourgo et Lola Faillant-Dumas, Muse dArt Moderne de la Ville de Paris, XXe Anniversaire Amedeo Modigliani, 26 mars- 28 juin 1981, page 44; 2 Thomas Brachert, Technische Mitteilungen, Restauro 411988, Seit wann gibt es Titanwei, page 252; 3 Encyclopdie de chimie industrielle 1924; 4 Dr. W. A. Dyes, Chemikeneitung 88,1918, page 356 ber Titan und Titanwei; 5 Charles Coffignier, Couleurs et Vernis, 1921, page 55; 6 The Pigment Compendium, A dictionary of historical pigments by Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chapman und Ruth Siddall, Elsevier Verlag Butterworth-Heinemann 2004, page 364; 7 Dr. E. O. Rasser, Technische Mitteilungen fr Malerei, 1923, Jahrgang 39, page 43 ff. Titanfarben; 8 Noel Heaton, The production of Titanium oxide and its use as a paint material, Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, June 23,1922, page 522; 9 W. H. Washbum und J. McGougan, Titanium White - Its Production, Properties and use, Prooeedings of the Paint and Varnish Society, Session 1920- 1921, March 10th 1921; 10 Brevet dinvention N 276025 du Kaiserliches Patentamt Berlin (Office Impriale des Brevets dinvention, Berlin) du 02.07.1913; 11 Brevets dinvention N US-1184131 et N US-1205267 de lanne 1911.

Lentrept o les artistes achetaient ses couleurs, Lucien Lefebvre- Foinet sur la Rue Vavin

52/1916 Madame Dorival

320

321

Controversy about Titanium White and its Introduction as a Pigment in Painting at the beginning of the 20th Century
Bernhelm Bonk
The long controversy about the use of titanium white in painting in the 20th century not only preoccupies the world of art but also more and more that of the courts. Recently in France, paintings by the artist Amedeo Modigliani who died in 1920, which contain titanium white and are therefore considered as forgeries have been seized by the authorities- despite the fact that in 1981, the Laboratoire de Recherche des Muses de France [Research Laboratories of the Museums in France] reported in its study on the scientific research carried out on several tableaus by Modigliani that titanium white has been found in his works of art (for example in the unfinished portrait that Modigliani made of his friend and painter Diego Rivera in 1914).1 This scientific requirements fulfilling proof is ignored with a certain arrogance insinuating that the production of titanium white had not been taken up in France until after 1920. It is true that the industrial production of titanium white in France indeed began only after 1920 as the renowned and longstanding company Lefranc et Bourgeois confirmed to Dr. Thomas Brachert (a German restorer) who contacted it in 1971 in order to get information on when exactly the production of titanium white began. The answer Lefranc et Bourgeois sent in response to the information request submitted by Dr. Brachert contained an especially instructive hint which is why we find it important to discuss it in the following because of its predominant importance as a proof for placing the use of titanium white in paintings of artists at an earlier point of time. The research carried out in order to place the production of titanium white in France at an earlier date has taken up quite a long time because a great number of the archives had been destroyed in the course of World War II. However, in the case of Messrs. Lefranc, the sale began in 1927 and in 1922 at Messrs. Bourgeois. In my case, we would like to point out that titanium white dates back to the end of the 19th century, and that it isquite possible that a painter had had access to this pigment, either via his relatives or directly; the painter himaelf took care of the merging. (Wording of a letter Lefranc et Bourgeois sent to Dr. Thomas Brachert on the 7 September 1971, see: Thomas Brachert in Technische Mitteilungen, Restauro 411988, page 252: Seit wann gibt es Titanwei?/Since when does titanium white exist?).2 This instructive clarification by Messrs. Lefranc et Bourgeois according to which titanium white dates back to the end of the 19th century is correct because in the United States it has been produced by Overton since 1870. The Encyclopdie de chimie industrielle, couleurs et peintures of 1924 [Encyclopedia of industrial chemistry, colours and paintings] evidences this and mentions the use of titanium white in its form Rutil.3 It was only much later - i.e. in 1908- that titanium dioxide was developed in the United States by the Chemist Auguste Rossi of French origin who ensured the use of titanium dioxide as a pigment by filing a patent for his invention. According to Dr. W.A. Dyes in the Chemists Journal (Chemikeneitung) 88 of 1918 the titanium white was quickly produced in an increasing quantity after its invention by Rossi in 1908 and not only for experimental purposes but also as white paint.4 In Europe - in Norway, to be exact- the chemist Dr. Peder Farup, independently and at the same time as the development which took place in the United States, took an interest in titanium dioxide. Historically speaking, it is hence established that titanium white had been already produced in the United States before the beginning of World War II, i.e. in the form of impure titanium dioxide in not negligible quantities and that the pigment in its impure and imperfect form of titanium dioxide spread from there in Europe in the quality which Charles Coffignier described in his book Couleurs et Vernis published in 1921 as follows: The commercial product is a white powder which lacks purity a little and contains a very faint quantity of iron oxide.5 The European painting professionals skepticism in view of titanium white lasted until the 1920ies; they introduced the titanium white in its anatase modification into their palette of pigments as late as n the middle of the 1920ies, and in about 1930, the pigment was generally accepted.6 As from there on, it can be considered as historically established that the pigment titanium oxide in its primary form- i.e. as a white powder like Charles Coffignier described it- had been at the industrys disposal for development as well as at the disposal of painters for experimental purposes. This opinion has also been advanced in The Pigment Compendium, A dictionary of historical pigments by Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chapman and Ruth Siddall, in the ditions of Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann of 2004, page 364. According to this reference, the artists who had contact to painting manufacturers had already been able to procure titanium oxide

53/1916 La servante assise

322

323

before 1916 and to use it for painting on an experimental level6 before World War I. According to the Annuaire du commerce a de lindustrie [Year book of commerce and industry] published in these years there must have been- in Paris alone- more than 250 paint producing companies at the beginning of the 20th century. The paint merchants bought the raw materials and produced their own products in their backrooms. Very often, they had constant contact to the world of artists and exchanged opinions. From the description of Messrs Lefranc et Bourgeois it is also certain that an artist could procure the pigment titanium dioxide, either via his relatives or directly, and prepare it by himself, and this at a much earlier point of time than the industrial production of titanium white. Since the end of World War I a discussion about titanium white ran through literature, such as a series of articles by Dr. E. O. Rasser in Germany, who began by his fundamental article Technische Mitteilungen mr Malerei / Technical Information for Painting, year 39 of 1923, pp. 437; followed by the publication by Noel Heaton Journal of the Royal Society of Arts in Great Britain in June 19228; and the publication by W. H. Washbum and J. McGougan which appeared in Proceedings of the Paint and Varnish Society, Session 19201921, about the meeting and the conference of March 10, 1921. The fact that the discussion about titanium white began that late in Europe, i.e. only after the end of World War I, seems logic and understandable: During the 4 years of World War I other topics were of greater interest and importance than the discussion about the development and the utilization of paints for artists. But this may not at all be seen as evidence that there had not been any development or experiments during World War I. It is exactly this sudden interest for the new pigment for the artists to use immediately after World War I, i.e. at the beginning of the 1920ies, which is the reason that- thanks to the former guaranteed production of titanium dioxide - the utilization by the artists was not only possible but also highly probable. Which brings us back to the description by Lefranc et Bourgeois according to which it was possible for an artist in France to procure titanium white and to prepare it, before the beginning of its industrial production and distribution which- as mentioned above- caused permanent skepticism among the paint manufacturers and thus began not before the beginning of the 1920ies. If one follows the argumentation based on the thesis that World War I made transport by sea difficult or even impossible this is the reason why any proof that the titanium white could have been used as paint by the artists in France before the end of World War I is unacceptable. But this argumentation does not consider the fact that the existing production and the pigment that was produced in a significant quantity in the United States before the war could have been transported to Europe in order to be distributed therethough, at that time, in the impure form that Coffignier described as white powder lacking purity.

54/1916 Nu couch, les mains derrire la tte

The sources: Ltude au Laboratoire de Recherche des Muses de France par Suzy Delbourgo et Lola Faillant-Dumas, Muse dArt Moderne de la Ville de Paris, XXe Anniversaire Amedeo Modigliani, 26 mars- 28 juin 1981, page 44; 2 Thomas Brachert, Technische Mitteilungen, Restauro 411988, Seit wann gibt es Titanwei, page 252; 3 Encyclopdie de chimie industrielle 1924; 4 Dr. W. A. Dyes, Chemikeneitung 88,1918, page 356 ber Titan und Titanwei; 5 Charles Coffignier, Couleurs et Vernis, 1921, page 55; 6 The Pigment Compendium, A dictionary of historical pigments by Nicholas Eastaugh, Valentine Walsh, Tracey Chapman und Ruth Siddall, Elsevier Verlag Butterworth-Heinemann 2004, page 364; 7 Dr. E. O. Rasser, Technische Mitteilungen fr Malerei, 1923, Jahrgang 39, page 43 ff. Titanfarben; 8 Noel Heaton, The production of Titanium oxide and its use as a paint material, Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, June 23,1922, page 522; 9 W. H. Washbum und J. McGougan, Titanium White - Its Production, Properties and use, Prooeedings of the Paint and Varnish Society, Session 1920- 1921, March 10th 1921; 10 Brevet dinvention N 276025 du Kaiserliches Patentamt Berlin (Office Impriale des Brevets dinvention, Berlin) du 02.07.1913; 11 Brevets dinvention N US-1184131 et N US-1205267 de lanne 1911.
1

27/1916 Buste de jeune fille huile sur toile 65 x 50 cm.

28/1916 Nu couch accoud huile sur toile 65.4 x 100.9 cm.

29/1916 Comte Wielhorski huile sur toile 116 x 73 cm.

30/1916 Portrait de lcrivain Deleu huile sur toile 81,1 x 46.7 cm.

31/1916 Portrait de Monsieur Lepoutre huile sur toile 92 x 65 cm.

32/1916 Portrait de Lopold Zborowski huile sur toile 64 x 41 cm.

33/1916 Portrait de Lopold Zborowski huile sur toile 116 x 73 cm.

34/1916 La Zborowska huile sur toile 81 x 51 cm.

35/1916 Nu couch au coussin bleu huile sur toile 60 x 92 cm.

36/1916 Portrait de Cham Soutine huile sur toile 100 x 65 cm.

I/1916 Nu couch huile sur toile 59,5 x 91,5 cm

II/1916 La Belle chocolatiere huile sur toile 100 x 75 cm.

III/1916 Femme en buste la chemise bleu huile sur toile 61 x 45 cm.

1/1917 Anna (Hanka Zborowska)huile sur toile 55 x 33 cm.

2/1917 Portrait de Lunia Czchowska huile sur toile 70 x 45 cm.

3/1917 Portrait de Lunia Czchowska huile sur toile 92 x 60 cm.

4/1917 Portrait de madame Zborowska huile sur toile 92 x 60 cm.

5/1917 Femme la cravatte noire huile sur toile 65.4 x 50.5 cm.

Sottoscrizione
Amedeo Modigliani Catalogo Ragionato 560 pagine 1300 immagini, sculture, disegni, dipinti e documenti Testi critici, biografici e scientifici Prezzo 200 se acquistato entro il 31 dicembre 2011