The Little Peasant
- Artist: Amedeo Modigliani
- Date: c.1918
- Medium: Oil paint on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 1000 x 645 mm
- Museum: Tate Modern
- Collection record: Tate Modern website
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About this artwork
This is the “The Little Peasant” by Amedeo Modigliani, painted around 1918. The canvas shows a young boy seated in a simple interior, his posture relaxed yet focused. Modigliani himself wrote the title on the right edge, calling the sitter a “peasant boy,” although art historians think the name might be a mislabel – the same young model appears in other works, like “The Young Apprentice.” The portrait is a clear nod to Cézanne’s country workers: a centered figure, muted blue tones, and an emphasis on form over detail. Modigliani was still in the early phase of his career, experimenting with line and shape before his later, more elongated style. The painting’s modest size (about 39 by 26 inches) makes it feel intimate, as if you’re peeking into a quiet studio in the south of France. The piece offers a fascinating glimpse into Modigliani’s evolving language and his dialogue with the broader modernist movement.
See it in person
The Little Peasant is in the collection of Tate Modern on Bankside, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
