Egon Schiele

Egon Schiele (1890–1918) was an Austrian painter and draftsman whose angular figures, distorted bodies, and candid portraits became defining works of Expressionism.

Self-Portrait with Physalis: A 1912 oil painting by Egon Schiele showing the artist beside a branch of physalis. Its sharp outline and guarded gaze distill Schiele’s unsettling approach to self-portraiture.
Gustav Klimt: An Austrian painter and leading figure of the Vienna Secession, known for ornamental portraits and allegorical works. Klimt encouraged Schiele, introduced him to patrons, and helped him enter Vienna’s art world.
Vienna Secession: An Austrian artists’ association founded in 1897 to exhibit modern art outside established institutions. Its challenge to academic convention formed part of the artistic environment Schiele entered.
Neulengbach Affair: A 1912 legal case in which Egon Schiele was jailed after drawings were judged to violate public decency. The case intensified public attention to Schiele’s sexually explicit art and left a lasting mark on his career.
The Embrace (Lovers II): A 1917 painting by Egon Schiele depicting two lovers entwined on a white sheet. Its intimate pose shows how Schiele made bodily closeness feel both tender and exposed.
Walburga Neuzil: An Austrian model and companion of Egon Schiele, known as Wally. Neuzil was a frequent model in Schiele’s portraits and figure studies from 1911 to 1915.
Vienna Academy of Fine Arts: An art school in Vienna, founded in 1692, where Egon Schiele studied from 1906 to 1909. Schiele left the academy after finding its teaching too restrictive for his emerging style.
Spanish flu: A global influenza pandemic that killed millions of people, especially during 1918–1920. Schiele died of influenza in Vienna in October 1918, three days after his pregnant wife Edith.
Portrait of Wally: A 1912 portrait by Egon Schiele of Walburga Neuzil, his companion and frequent model. The direct gaze and compressed composition exemplify his psychologically charged portraiture.
Anton Peschka: An Austrian painter who was a friend and brother-in-law of Egon Schiele. Peschka belonged to Schiele’s close artistic circle and married Schiele’s sister Gertrude.

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Friedensreich HundertwasserRelated: Schiele’s work influenced Hundertwasser’s early artistic development.