Produced in 1915, this work belongs to the period when Modigliani initiated what he called "the grand style". This phase included a series of portraits and nudes with strongly geometric features, characterised by unreal tones applied in large, dense areas of paint.

The series also includes the Portrait of Moïse Kisling, which came to the Pinacoteca thanks to a donation from Emilio Jesi.

Some claim that it is a study for the portrait of a young woman. However, the title L'Enfant gras is inscribed by Modigliani himself on the painting, in the top left-hand corner (as was his custom).