The Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani (July 12, 1884-January 24, 1920) is best known for his soulful portraits, his sexy nudes, his primativistic sculpture and his dazzling works on paper. The control and mastery exhibited in Modigliani's work is remarkable in light of the chaotic life he led.

As an archetypal bohemian artist, exaggerated stories of his wild behavior have, at times, threatened to overshadow his achievements. Though his excesses were legendary, the amount and quality of the work done in his tragically short life demonstrate his intense productivity and his desire, above all, to create.