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Unseen views of iconic art | Morning Newsletter

And the law some say needs to change.

Amadeo Modigliani's 1908 "Nude with a Hat" is hung upside down because another painting by him, "Maud Abrantes," on the reverse side of the same canvas is oriented correctly, while on display at Haifa University's Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel, in June. Curators at the museum using X-ray technology have discovered three previously unknown sketches by the celebrated 20th-century artist hiding beneath the surface of the painting.
Amadeo Modigliani's 1908 "Nude with a Hat" is hung upside down because another painting by him, "Maud Abrantes," on the reverse side of the same canvas is oriented correctly, while on display at Haifa University's Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel, in June. Curators at the museum using X-ray technology have discovered three previously unknown sketches by the celebrated 20th-century artist hiding beneath the surface of the painting.Read moreAriel Schalit / AP
    by Ashley Hoffman
    Published 

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

It’s getting chilly out there.

In today’s newsletter:

🎨 Eye-opening: The Barnes is offering a rare chance to get beneath the surface of Modigliani’s paintings.

⚠️ Urgent: Crimes close to campus impact city students, but schools aren’t required to report them. Should the law change?

🍺 Interesting: Let’s talk about the rules governing New Jersey breweries unique to the state.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Exploring the hidden depths of Modigliani’s art

It’s time to see the artwork of Amedeo Modigliani like you’ve never seen it before.

The recently opened “Modigliani Up Close” exhibit at the Barnes is illuminating what lies beneath the surface of the modernist artist’s works. Of course, he’s renowned the world over for the geometric curves of his subjects that stare back at you. But now the museum is giving us a rare view of his process that takes you beneath the surface to see what lies hidden underneath the catalog of 50 pieces.

What’s different: The Hecht Museum in Haifa examined his artwork closely with X-ray technology to find “ghostly underpinnings.” Attentive museum-goers will be able to see hidden portraits and sketches, and even a possible self-portrait.

Modigliani often used the canvas as a sketchbook, drawing and redrawing his subjects. Catch the highlights in our list of six hidden gems.

And be sure to read Stephan Salisbury comprehensive insider’s guide to the exhibit and its focus on the artist’s “funky” process.🔑

What you should know today

  1. Missing both legs and arms, Chris Koch is racing in the Philadelphia Marathon.

  2. Cold weather for today’s Philly marathon should yield a bonanza in clothing donations to charity.

  3. The Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey is expected to miss three to four weeks with a small foot fracture.

  4. People were showing up and showing out on the carpet at the Wakanda Forever premiere.

  5. Test your knowledge of the major World Cup players with our quiz.

  6. The Philadelphia Flower Show folks are already planning on upping the floral ante in 2023.

  7. Michelle Obama spoke to Philly audiences for a candid conversation about navigating uncertainty and her husband’s penchant for knitting.

  8. Local coronavirus numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.

❓Pop Quiz❓

What cheese is not included from Patti LaBelle’s macaroni and cheese in our very Philly Friendsgiving spread story that Taylor featured on Thursday?

A) mild cheddar

B) sharp cheddar

C) Provolone

D) Velveeta

Find out if you remember the answer.

🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩

We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Email us if you know the answer.

Who the Eagles were playing when the city’s fans booed Santa Claus himself at the “Great Santa Snowball Debacle of 1968″?

AMARA BY PASTY

Photo of the Day

🎶 Though there’s grinning and mandolining in sunny Italy // The beginning has just begun when the sun goes down. 🎶

👋🏽 Tonight I’m making pasta with my friend in South Philly. And tomorrow, I leave for Europe. I’ll be all over Italy, Denmark, and Sweden for two weeks to celebrate my birthday and life itself. I leave you in the capable hands of the team, and I’ll be back for my annual holiday edition.