An air of amused inscrutability emanates from the woman in Modigliani's "Madame Pompadour." Her features, generalized and perhaps mask-like, echo the artist's tendency to elongate forms, particularly her exaggeratedly long, thin neck. There's a strong formal structure here, emphasized by a distinct grid in the background that plays against the echoing curves of her hat, shoulders, and even her stylized pompadour. This painting, created around 1915, suggests an ironic detachment rather than the usual pathos found in Modigliani's portraits. One wonders if both painter and sitter shared a private joke about the flamboyant hat. Modigliani, who settled in Paris in 1906, was known for his sensitively elongated forms within a limited range of subjects, mostly portraits. He skillfully rhymes these forms, keeping us visually interested yet slightly off-balance, reflecting influences from Cezanne, Cubism, and African sculpture. Though often identified as Beatrice Hastings, his mistress, the artist's generalized portrayal makes a definitive comparison inconclusive. The humor, or perhaps the ambiguity of her gaze, leaves an enduring impression.