Early Life, Family and Training Amedeo Clemente Modigliani was born on July 12, 1884, in the port city of Livorno, Italy. He was the fourth child of Flaminio Modigliani, a merchant, and Eugénie Garsin. His family's fortunes were tied to the shifting economic tides of the time, and a sudden downturn in the price of metals led to a period of financial difficulty for his father. Legend suggests that the family's most precious belongings were piled onto the bed where Eugénie lay in labor, protecting them from creditors who arrived just as the child was born. His mother was a highly intelligent a…