The Artwork of Egon Schiele

Self-Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant by Egon Schiele (1890-1918) was painted when the Austrian artist was 22 and is one his most famous self-portraits. His head turning to the right while he gazes out directly at the viewer shows a sensitive and confident young man.

Schiele painted a matching portrait of his lover Wally Neuzil, although unlike his bold gaze, her wide blue eyes staring out portray a sadness. 

Schiele ended his relationship with Wally to marry Edith Harms, who came from a more respectable family. He painted this portrait of her in 1915 that shows the difference between his two lovers. Edith sits slouched, shy, and unsure of herself as a model.

Cardinal and Nun (Caress) is said to be an homage to The Kiss by Schiele’s mentor Gustav Klimt. Schiele has replaced Klimt’s gilded gold with suspenseful red and black and the scandalous pairing of two church members with bare legs protruding from underneath their garments.

Although he is most known for his provocative nudes, he also painted vibrantly colored landscapes of Vienna and its surroundings. In fact, the most expensive work by Schiele ever sold was a landscape with two houses in the forefront that auctioned for $40.1 million.