Egon Schiele’s Brilliance

Egon Schiele was an Austrian expressionist artist who was able to portray emotion fluidly in a minimalistic style. One may even describe his portraits as similar to that of Gustav Klimt’s, which is no surprise as Klimt was his protégé. At times, his brilliance is overshadowed by that of other famous expressionist painters. Alongside Munch, Kandinsky and Kirchner, Schiele was certainly in company of high regard.

Few artists were able to find such meaningful expression in such a distinct style. His works were also renowned for blending what was seemingly erotic with psychological elements. Many of his pieces feature himself as the subject, portrayed as a nude figure donning an intense stare. The nudity is rather consistent in any of his other subjects though, once again emphasizing the erotic theme he so often opted for.

Self-Portrait, Egon Schiele, 1910

Couple Embracing, Egon Schiele, 1911

To me, Schiele is as essential to art as his mentor Klimt was. Klimt was able to utilize various mediums, most notably gold, in allusion to the famous Byzantine style that came centuries before him. It was his translation of this into a more modern era that was perhaps responsible for his notability. Schiele was able to strip back these allusions, capturing hints of Klimt’s base style while simultaneously developing his own.

Perhaps it is the simplicity of Schiele’s style that makes his work so effortlessly appealing. It does not overcrowd a canvas, nor does it try to display a concept through hidden elements. It is simple in the way it is presented, allowing for beauty in what you see in front of you rather than a deep interpretation.

Text by Julius Miller