Better known as a painter, Modigliani , did actually start his artistic life as a sculptor. He found inspiration in the so-called "primitive" art. This elongated head, with it's strange look, is very much like the aesthetic of African masks which did inspire several of his peers. Later, we can see again these hieratic shapes in his paintings when he had to give up sculpting due to the strain of the work and the cost of materials. Made in terracotta with hand-made patina, this sculpture remains timeless.