The artwork will be the highlight of Sotheby's auction in London on 24/6. The painting is owned by British billionaire Joe Lewis, former chairman of Tottenham Hotspur football club. He purchased the artwork in 1995 from the collection of lawyer Ralph F. Colin and his wife, Georgia Talmey Colin, for 12,4 million USD at Christie's.

Oliver Barker, chairman of Sotheby's Europe, expressed his admiration for the piece, stating that he "always admired and wished to present the painting at an auction like this". According to Barker, the work is coming to market at a time when "interest in Modigliani is perhaps greater than ever".

During his lifetime, Modigliani was an artist who struggled to sell his works, often trading paintings for meals. However, after his death, his creations consistently rank among the most sought-after and expensive paintings of all time.

The oil on canvas 'Nu assis au collier' measures 91,5 cm x 59,7 cm. The painting, along with 47 other works from Joe Lewis's collection, will be publicly exhibited at Sotheby's London from 10/6 to 23/6. *Photo: Sotheby's*

Created around 1917-1918, the artwork depicts a nude woman with her eyes closed, one hand clutching a coral necklace. According to Artnet, this is not only one of Modigliani's most sought-after nude paintings but also one of seven similar works featured in his solo exhibition in Paris, France, in 12/1917. The event was shut down hours after opening because local police deemed the paintings "obscene and pornographic".

Oliver Barker believes Modigliani had no intention of painting pornography, but he seemed to aim to shock viewers. His works demonstrate an artist who dared to challenge aesthetic conventions. Before his death, he painted over 300 works, with only about 30-35 being nudes. In 5/2018, Modigliani's 'Nu Couche' was auctioned by Sotheby's for 157,2 million USD, a record for the auction house at the time.

Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor, active primarily in France. British writer Wyndham Lewis once called him "the most respected painter in Paris" in The Atheneum magazine.

Modigliani's reputation was established when he created 'Paulette Jourdain'. His favorite subject was human portraits. He often depicted figures with elongated forms and mask-like faces.

The artist died at age 35 in Paris from tuberculous meningitis, leaving behind many paintings, later exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art, US, and galleries in London, UK.

Phuong Linh (according to Artnet, Sotheby's)