Marcus Chen
The wives and partners of famous painters have often been overlooked in art history, despite their own artistic endeavours and the inspiration they provided. One such tragic story is that of Jeanne Hébuterne, the common-law wife of Amedeo Modigliani. Hébuterne, a talented painter and art model in her own right, took her own life two days after Modigliani's death in 1920, when she was eight months pregnant with their second child. Another famous painter's wife who met an untimely demise was Elizabeth Siddall, the wife of Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Siddall, who was also a talented artist, is often framed as Rossetti's subservient muse, and her husband's womanizing and strange requests plagued her.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the painter | Amedeo Modigliani |
| Name of the wife | Jeanne Hébuterne |
| Date of death of the painter | 24 January 1920 |
| Date of death of the wife | 26 January 1920 |
| Cause of death of the wife | Suicide |
| Reason for suicide | The death of her husband |
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What You'll Learn
- Amedeo Modigliani's common-law wife, Jeanne Hébuterne, killed herself
- Edward Muybridge killed his wife's lover
- Croatian painter Josip Račić died by suicide
- Rembrandt van Rijn's wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, died young
- Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti's wife, Elizabeth Siddall, drowned herself
Amedeo Modigliani's common-law wife, Jeanne Hébuterne, killed herself
Amedeo Modigliani's common-law wife, Jeanne Hébuterne, was a French painter and art model best known as Modigliani's frequent subject and muse. She was born in Meaux, Seine-et-Marne, in 1898, and her family was staunchly Roman Catholic. Introduced to the artistic community in Montparnasse by her brother André Hébuterne, she met several starving artists, including Modigliani, and modelled for Tsuguharu Foujita. Aspiring to pursue a career in the arts, she studied at the Académie Colarossi, where she was introduced to Modigliani by the sculptor Chana Orloff.
Hébuterne and Modigliani became romantically involved and had a daughter, also named Jeanne, in 1918. However, their relationship was not without its challenges. Modigliani struggled with alcoholism and tuberculosis, and Hébuterne's family disapproved of the match, even threatening to commit her to a mental institution if she did not leave him. Despite the obstacles, the couple remained together, and Hébuterne was pregnant with their second child when Modigliani died on 24 January 1920.
Devastated by Modigliani's death, Hébuterne threw herself out of a fifth-floor apartment window two days later, killing herself and her unborn child. Her family, who blamed her demise on Modigliani, had her interred in the Cimetière de Bagneux. Nearly ten years later, at the request of Modigliani's brother, Emanuele, her remains were transferred to Père Lachaise Cemetery to rest beside Modigliani. Her epitaph reads: "Devoted companion to the extreme sacrifice."
Their orphaned daughter, Jeanne Modigliani, was adopted by her father's sister in Florence, Italy. She knew little about her parents until she researched their lives as an adult. In 1958, she wrote a biography of her father, published in English in the United States as Modigliani: Man and Myth.
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Edward Muybridge killed his wife's lover
In 1874, photographer Edward Muybridge killed Major Harry Larkyns, a reporter for the *Evening Post* and a friend of the Muybridges, believing that Larkyns had seduced his wife, Flora, and fathered their son, Florado Helios Muybridge. Muybridge had received evidence of the affair from a mutual friend, Mrs. Susan C. Smith, who was a maternity nurse and had helped when Flora gave birth.
Muybridge had no regrets and believed men of family would understand his choice. He had arranged his affairs in case he himself would get killed or lynched, but made sure that Larkyns had little chance to defend himself. Muybridge's attorneys intended to prove that Larkyns had been a man of bad character and deserved his fate. They argued that Larkyns had seduced Mrs. Muybridge under false pretenses, claiming to be a married man and luring Flora to his lodgings. Learning about the depth of the deceit made Muybridge insane from anger, to the point that he passionately decided to kill the destroyer of his happiness, loving his wife deeply, only living for her. Muybridge had been prone to insanity since a stagecoach accident in 1860, and friends testified how he'd changed dramatically after the accident, losing all control of his emotions.
The judge gave the jury four optional verdicts to choose from: "guilty of murder in the first degree" punishable by death, another conviction for murder with punishment by lifelong imprisonment, "not guilty" or "not guilty on account of insanity". The jury acquitted Muybridge of the murder, disregarding the judge's instructions, and returned a verdict of not guilty on the grounds of justifiable homicide. The eventual acquittal was explained by arguing that if their verdict was not in accordance with the law, it was in accordance with the law of human nature. They felt they could not punish a person for doing something that they themselves would do in similar circumstances.
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Croatian painter Josip Račić died by suicide
Croatian painter Josip Račić is considered one of the greatest enigmas of Croatian modern art. Račić is regarded as one of the founders of modern Croatian art, bringing the concept of self-awareness and artistic integrity to his works, which he called "pure painting". His paintings are characterised by strong dark realms of human spirituality, along with marked fullness of form and a profound psychology in the figures.
Račić's early life and education played a significant role in shaping his artistic journey. Born in 1885 in a village near Zagreb, Croatia, Račić had a brief attendance at grammar school before deciding to pursue lithography. He later studied in Munich with the renowned professor Anton Ažbe, who was known for his eccentric yet supportive nature. During his time in Munich, Račić became part of the "Croatian School" or "Die Kroatische Schule," along with artists like Oskar Herman and Vladimir Becić. This group is also referred to as the Munich Circle or the Munich Four in Croatian art history. They drew inspiration from painters such as Wilhelm Leibl, Édouard Manet, and the Impressionists, as well as masters like Velázquez and Rembrandt.
In 1908, Račić moved to Paris, where he created watercolour paintings and copied works from the Louvre. He painted parks, river banks, café scenes, portraits, and self-portraits. However, on June 20, 1908, Račić's life came to a tragic end. He was found dead in his Paris hotel room at the age of 23, with a gunshot wound. While the cause of death was suicide, the reasons behind his decision remain unclear. Some speculate that he felt misunderstood, as he found it challenging to form deep friendships and was known for his moody and sensitive personality.
The death of Josip Račić left a lasting impact on the art world, particularly in Croatia. His works continue to be celebrated, and he is recognised as a pivotal figure in the development of Croatian modern art. The Josip Račić Modern Gallery Studio in Zagreb is named in his honour, showcasing the works of Croatian contemporary artists. Račić's legacy serves as a reminder of the power and enigma of artistic expression.
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Rembrandt van Rijn's wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, died young
Saskia van Uylenburgh, the wife of painter Rembrandt van Rijn, died at a young age. She was born on 2 August 1612 and died on 14 June 1642, aged 29. Saskia and Rembrandt married in 1634 and were together for only eight years before her death.
Saskia was born in Leeuwarden, Friesland, and was the youngest of eight children. Her father, Rombertus van Uylenburgh, was a top lawyer, the mayor, and the justice of the Court of Friesland. Her mother was Sjoukje Ozinga. Saskia was orphaned by the age of 12, and she might have been expected to marry young. Instead, she travelled to Amsterdam in 1631, where she met Rembrandt. He was living and working in the home of Saskia's cousin, Hendrick van Uylenburgh, a painter and art dealer.
Rembrandt and Saskia were engaged on 5 June 1633, and they married a year later. Rembrandt gained financial success through his artwork, and the couple had a son, Titus. However, three of their children died shortly after birth. Saskia died a year after Titus was born, probably from tuberculosis, and was buried in the Oude Kerk.
Rembrandt painted Saskia many times during her life and after her death. She was his inspiration for paintings such as "Saskia van Uylenburgh as Flora", now in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, and "Saskia van Uylenburgh in Arcadian Costume", in the National Gallery in London, UK.
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Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti's wife, Elizabeth Siddall, drowned herself
Elizabeth Siddall, a Pre-Raphaelite artist, muse, and model, died at the young age of 32. She was the wife of Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Siddall's unusual characteristics and beauty made her a favourite model of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and she went on to model for hundreds of works by artists like William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais.
Siddall was also a talented artist in her own right. Her lack of formal training was admired by the other Pre-Raphaelites, who sought to unlearn their techniques to create more truthful work. Dante Gabriel Rossetti himself wrote to his friend Ford Madox Brown that Siddall's "fecundity of invention and facility are quite wonderful, much greater than mine". Siddall's work was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London, and her success helped the Pre-Raphaelite movement flourish and expand the definition of beauty for Victorian-era women.
Siddall's cause of death was an opioid overdose, though it is unclear whether it was accidental or a suicide. Her death paralleled that of Shakespeare's Ophelia, a character she had once modelled, who died by drowning. Eight years after Siddall's death, Rossetti painted six versions of her as Dante Alighieri's Beatrice, a symbol of divine love.
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Frequently asked questions
Amedeo Modigliani. Two days after Modigliani's death in 1920, his common-law wife, Jeanne Hébuterne, threw herself out of a fifth-floor apartment window, killing herself and her unborn child.
Her family blamed her demise on Modigliani.
It is not known if Jeanne showed any signs of depression prior to her suicide, but it is possible that she was struggling with her husband's death and the prospect of raising their two children alone.
Yes, they had a daughter named Jeanne Modigliani (1918-1984), who was adopted by her father's sister in Florence, Italy, after her parents' deaths.
