I feel both inspired and disconcerted by the work of Egon Schiele. His subject matter is often questionable but as an Artist/ Teacher I am learning to ‘Unlearn art’ (Baldachinno, 2013); to put aside preconceptions of what art should be and allow myself to look at art anew, with an open mind. Therefore I have chosen to include Schiele in my study as there is much to be learned from him. In particular I am drawn to the group study of ‘The Family’ and decided to depict this in two different media; pen and ink and scrapper board. Previously I have worked around the theme of family and produced a mixed media piece, ‘Mother and Child’, which can be viewed on my title page.

Egon Schiele was an Austrian artist born in Vienna in 1890. He lived and worked at a time of the continents turmoil, amongst others, namely Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Sigmund Freud, Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Schiele was greatly influenced by Klimt whom he befriended and Klimt became somewhat of a patron to Schiele, introducing him to wealthy and influential patrons of art and the Wiener Werkstatte.

Schiele founded the New Kunstgruppe (New Art Group) in 1909. Klimt continued to support Schiele , introducing him to wealthy industrialists and surgeons. Schiele was also influenced by Toulouse Lautrec and painted ‘The Evil One’ in 1910. Many prominent figures within Vienna commissioned Schiele to paint portraits for them and his popularity was growing.

However on April 13th 1910 Schiele was sent to prison amidst allegations of seducing a young model and many of his works were confiscated and destroyed. During his time in prison, despite not having a mirror, Schiele produced many self-portraits and would often write sentences under his signature. For example ‘I do not feel punished, but cleansed!’  ‘I will survive for art and for the people I love’.  ‘It is a crime to set limits for an artist’.

Gustav Klimt died on 6th February 1918 and Schiele became the most acclaimed artist in Austria. Tragically Schiele died on 31st October, 1918 at the age of 28, of the the same influenza epidemic which had stolen his great friend from him.

Egon Schiele The Great Masters (1993) Park Lane