Earlier this year, I watched a programme on the BBC about a painting that might, or might not, be by Modigliani. Some time later, I get part way through reading The Magus by John Fowles and find a reference to a Modigliani hanging on the wall of the house in which much of the action takes place.

Having finished that book, I moved on to A Mind to Murder by PD James and a couple of dozen pages in there’s a reference to a painting hanging on the wall of the premises in which a murder occurs. You can guess what’s coming next, can’t you? Yep, it’s another Modigliani. Seems this bloke gets everywhere.

Anyway, I decided, there’s a lesson in all this. If I ever have need, in any of my books, to refer to a painting hanging on a wall somewhere then I need to steer well clear of Modigliani, otherwise I’m going to appear to be lacking in originality. On the other hand, if you do ever see such a reference, then you will know I’m having a laugh.