Tribute to Egon Schiele - 135 Years Old on June 12

Egon Schiele was born on June 12, 1890, near Vienna, in Tulln an der Donau. He is an artist who regularly attracts criticism today, torn between defense and blame. Comments about him only serve to rekindle the turmoil of his arrest in the spring of 1912. The artist was accused of kidnapping, rape of a minor, and public immorality. He spent 24 days in prison, and more than a hundred of his nude drawings were seized, including one that was burned in court.

Scandal in Vienna  

What brought the artist before the courts was a breaking point. Egon's unconventional lifestyle was already disturbing high society. His unmarried cohabitation with Wally Neuzil upset the inhabitants of the towns where he settled. Moreover, Schiele's style and nude subjects were not universally appreciated. He regularly drew young girls in erotic guises. In 1912, this was Tatjana von Mossig, the daughter of a naval officer, whom he portrayed. The latter filed a complaint and brought Egon to court. The artist was ultimately acquitted of some of the charges. It was proven by testimony and medical opinion that no rape had taken place. However, he was still prosecuted for indecent exposure and morality.

Tormented Youth 

Egon Schiele was born into a wealthy but troubled family. His father, a stationmaster, intended the young boy to follow in his own footsteps. Egon's few drawings of the railways gave his father, Adolf, hope, but he quickly realized his son's desire to become an artist. Adolf even tore up some of his sketchbooks. A syphilitic patient, Adolf suffered from psychological problems. Moreover, several children in the family had died in infancy, which did not help Egon's development with a sense of lightness. Egon found himself fatherless at 15 and quickly fell under the guardianship of his uncle, who allowed him to pursue his dream. At sixteen, the future artist entered the Academy of Fine Arts where he studied classical arts. Already eager to leave this strict teaching behind, the creation of an art exhibition (Kunstschau) by Gustav Klimt prompted the student to take flight.

The Development of a Signature 

Egon Schiele's youth forged a provocative and polemical character. He stood outside the conventions of the time and proclaimed it. The artist's decision to break with academic tradition was not innovative in Vienna. In 1897, Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) and a group of artists founded the Vienna Secession.

This work is inspired by The Kiss by his mentor Gustav Klimt. 

In this same vein, Schiele founded the New Art Group (Seukunstgruppe) in 1909 and joined the Sema group in Munich.

Thus, the artist's style is characterized by a black outline to delineate forms and energetic, prominent lines. This is the case for his portrait drawings, which represent the majority of his work. He also produced some landscapes and still lifes.

The first model to pose for him was his younger sister. She posed both clothed and unclothed, like most of the people he portrayed.

Regarding the treatment of faces in drawing, the artist delineates the form using pencil or charcoal. Touches of watercolor enhance the overall effect. The complexion of the face generally remains pale.

The anatomical rendering is sometimes quite morbid. He depicts dismembered bodies, in extreme tension, in an exaggerated geometric schematization that reveals the skeleton. Erotic representations are common in his artistic repertoire.

Schiele's primary objective was to convey the distress, fragility, and psychological condition of his models. Beginning with his own, he depicted his own in his many self-portraits.

Eternal Calm  

Egon Schiele married Edith Harms in 1915. Whereas his time in prison had increased the violence in his characters' expressions, his union with Edith softened his work. The contours are more supple, defined by curves, the expressions softer in a more colorful universe.

Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Edith Schiele, and the baby she was carrying died in the same year, 1918, from the Spanish flu.

In a 10-year career, the artist produced nearly 3,000 drawings and 300 oil paintings, which bear witness to his short life.

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