Amedeo Clemente Modigliani, Italian, 1884 to 1920, crayon pencil painting on cream wove paper, Diriks, 1912. The painting represents a double portrait of Dr. Diriks and his wife, Marguerite. Signed and dated, lower left. Framed. Published: Parisot, Modigliani: Catalogue Raisonne, Rome: Edizione Carte Segrete, 1996, volume III, 106 18 illustrated. Provenance: Sothebys, New York, November 10, 2000, lot 278 according to the Sothebys listing the drawing would be included in the then in process catalogue Raisonne of Modiglianis drawings under the direction of the Wildenstein Institute, Paris; Aguttes, Neuilly sur Seine, June 19, 2000, lot 429; Piasa, Paris, April 11, 2001, lot 123; Millon and Associes, Paris, December 2022, lot 89; private collection, France. Karl Edvard Diriks was a Norvegian painter whom moved to Paris between 1899 and 1921. Diriks and Modigliani met at Rosalie Tobias restaurant called Chez Rosalie in Montparnasse. The restaurant Chez Rosalie was a refuge for artists and writers such as Appolinaire, Max Jacob, Diriks, Utrillo, Kisling, Modigliani. Dr. Dyre Diriks, 1894 to 1976, was the son of artists Edvard, 1855 to 1930, and Anna, 1870 to 1932 Diriks, who lived in the artist community of Montparnasse in Paris. Dr. Diriks and his wife, Marguerite, became part of Modiglianis, 1884 to 1920, circle after the artist arrived in Montparnasse around 1910. Modigliani executed several portraits of Dr. Diriks and his wife during their friendship. The Diriks lived in the same building as Simone Thiroux, Modiglianis lover. They attempted to help Thiroux through her tumultuous break up with Modigliani, and Marqueritte Diriks became the godmother of Thirouxs illegitimate child, Modigliani never acknowledged paternity. Dr. Diriks began to paint in 1932, later becoming a member of the Salon d Automne and other artist groups, and remained in Paris until 1970. Amedeo Clemente Modigliani was an Italian painter and sculptor of the Ecole de Paris who worked mainly in France. He is known for portraits and nudes in a modern style characterized by a surreal elongation of faces, necks, and figures, works that were not received well during his lifetime, but later became much sought after. In 1906, he moved to Paris, where he came into contact with such artists as Pablo Picasso and Constantin Brancuși. By 1912, Modigliani was exhibiting highly stylized sculptures with Cubists of the Section dOr group at the Salon d Automne. We would like to thank The Modigliani Initiative, Stamford, Connecticut, for their assistance in describing this work. Modern European Fine Art, School of Paris Paintings, Wall Art, and Collectibles. One of a kind artwork.