EGON SCHIELE

Schiele’s work is distinguished by a jaunty, sketchy style imbued with great psychological depth. It explores themes of sexuality, mortality, and identity. Despite his brief career, which ended with a premature death from the Spanish flu at 28 years old, Schiele was hugely prolific.

Early Years

Born in Tulln an der Donau, Austria, Schiele demonstrated artistic talent from a young age. After his father died in 1905, he became a ward of his uncle, who supported his artistic pursuits for some time, hiring a tutor for the young Schiele. In 1906, Schiele enrolled in Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Art and Craft), where Gustav Klimt had been a student. However, the faculty encouraged him to apply to Vienna’s more traditional and prestigious Academy of Fine Arts. Klimt became frustrated with the conservative teaching of Christian Griepenkerl, and he withdrew in his third year in 1909.

Influences and mentors

In 1907, Schiele became a mentee of Gustav Klimt, who took an interest in the young artist. Many of Schiele’s works from this period were heavily influenced by Klimt’s ornamental sensibility and Art Nouveau style.

After leaving the Academy in 1909, Schiele formed the Neukunstgruppe (‘New Art Group’) with like-minded artists seeking to challenge traditional art norms. ​Informed by Klimt’s work, as well as Edvard Munch, Jan Toorop, and Vincent van Gogh’s, Schiele further developed his signature style. Many works from this period were sexually charged nudes.

Imprisonment, marriage and military service

In 1912, Egon Schiele was arrested under suspicion related to the alleged seduction and abduction of a minor. When police came to find him, they seized over a hundred of his artworks, considered pornographic. The artist had to serve 24 days in custody, including 3 days of solitary confinement.

Schiele married Edith Harms in 1915, the same year he was conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian army to serve in World War I. Initially assigned to menial duties, he was later stationed in Prague and eventually moved to a supply depot in Mühling, where he had more freedom to draw and continue his artistic practice.

Artworks

Schiele was a prolific painter. During his short life, he is estimated to have produced over 300 oil paintings , around 3,000 drawings, and works on paper. The last four years before his death have been seen as a maturing of the artist’s practice, with a developed technical mastery and less overt sexual themes, Schiele instead exploring the emotional lives of his subjects.

Portrait of Wally (1912)

This intimate portrayal of Schiele’s muse and lover, Walburga Neuzil, captures the emotional depth and vulnerability that define much of Schiele’s portraiture. ​It is speculated that Wally may have also modelled for Gustav Klimt. Portrait of Wally has a storied and contested ownership history during and following the Second World War. Still, it now resides in the Austrian Leopold Museum, with many other works by Schiele.

Edith Schiele in a Striped Dress, Seated (1915)

A poignant portrait of Egon Schiele’s wife, Edith Harms, was created shortly after their marriage. Harms is depicted in a long, vertically striped dress, her expression reserved and introspective. Schiele’s distinctive contour lines and scrubby paint application heighten the emotional complexity of the subject.

Seated Woman with Bent Knees (1917)

Perhaps Egon Schiele’s most iconic and arresting figure studies. It is understood to be a portrait of the artist’s wife (although debated, as this portrait features auburn hair and dark eyes), seated with her knees pulled to her chest and her gaze directed outward. Schiele’s expressive linework and sparse yet specific use of colour emphasises the vulnerability and defiance in the pose: parted legs, shielding arm, and direct gaze. The painting exemplifies Schiele’s mature approach to the human body and sexuality, subtly loaded with psychological depth and emotional intensity.

Notable Exhibitions

While Schiele did not receive formal awards during his lifetime, his work gained significant recognition in the years leading up to his death. In 1918, he was invited to exhibit at the 49th Vienna Secession, where he displayed 50 works and designed the exhibition poster. This marked a turning point in his career, solidifying his reputation in the Viennese art scene. ​

Schiele’s work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions during his life and posthumously. Notable exhibitions include:​

• Changing Times: Egon Schiele’s Last Years (1914–1918), Leopold Museum, Vienna (March 28–July 13, 2025)
• Egon Schiele: Living Landscapes, Neue Galerie New York (17 October 2024–13 January 2025)
• Life in Motion: Egon Schiele/ Francesca Woodman, Tate Liverpool (24 May–23 September 2018)

Egon Schiele FAQs

Ocula | 2025