Stein on the Danube, Seen from the South (Large)

Stein on the Danube, Seen from the South (Large) was completed by Egon Schiele in his studio in June 1913. In preparation for this work, Schiele completed two small panel paintings in advance to help sort out the details of the scene. Compositionally, it has a strong linear framework and is arranged in horizontal bands of color in a limited palette composed of browns and dull greens, which are enlivened with bright patches of blue, emerald green, and red. The murky Danube River in the foreground gives way to a lush riverbank that yields to the town beyond. In the distance, terraced vineyards hint at the importance of viniculture to this region of Austria. Two prominent church towers loom over the scene and provide a counterbalance to the dominant horizontality of the picture. Schiele was especially proud of the finished canvas and reluctant to part with it. He proclaimed that it deserved a place "in the gallery of a person with a deep appreciation for art." Under financial strain, he sold it to collector Franz Hauer.