Jeanne Hébuterne

Jeanne Hébuterne

Jeanne Hébuterne was a French artist who lived from 1898 to 1920. She is best known for her role as the muse and love interest for the Italian artist, Amedeo Modigliani. 

Hébuterne was born in Paris to a middle-class family. She was first introduced into the art community of Montparnasse by her older brother, André, who was an aspiring artist. Hébuterne worked as a figure model before subsequently starting art school herself in 1916 at the Académie Colarossi in Paris, France. Hébuterne was pale with bright blue eye, and dark auburn hair that she often wore in braids. Because of this, the other students nicknamed her “Noix-de-Coco” or “Coconut”.

In 1917 at 19 years old, Hébuterne was introduced by a fellow student at the Académie Colarossi to the Italian artist, Amedeo Modigliani. Soon after that first meeting, Modigliani and Hébuterne fell deeply in love and moved in together. 

Jeanne Hébuterne became the main subject for most of Modigliani’s pieces. In 1918, the couple moved to Nice in an effort to boost Modigliani’s career. He worked in a more abstract, modern form, and was not well received by the public. While living in Nice, at 20 years old, Hébuterne gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Giovanna Hébuterne. 

Modigliani contracted tuberculous meningitis, which he self-medicated with alcohol and drugs. The couple moved back to Paris and soon became pregnant again, though Modigliani’s health was deteriorating quickly. He died in 1920 at 35 years of age.

Hébuterne was completely devastated by his death. Within two days of his death, she jumped out the fifth story window of her parents’ home, killing herself and her 8-month-old unborn child. Hébuterne was only 21 years old.

As she died so young, only about 25 paintings by Jeanne Hébuterne survive to this day. Hébuterne’s art was not seen by the public for decades after her death, as her heirs kept them private. In 2000, her work was finally seen by the public at an exhibition in Italy of Modigliani’s work.

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