Happy birthday to Egon Schiele, born on the 12th of June 1890 in Tullin (about 20 miles west of Vienna). I’ve always loved his paintings and was thrilled when one was used on the cover of my novel THE EXPERT OF SUBTLE REVISIONS. Coincidentally, my character Hase’s birthday falls just one day before the artist’s, on June 11!
A few images to celebrate, with context from art historian Maria Costantino’s book SCHIELE:
The Secession Exhibition poster (1918), Schiele’s version of the Last Supper, with himself at the head of the table. The empty chair on the other side of the table honored his mentor and artist Gustav Klimt, who died earlier that year of flu. Both Schiele and his wife Edith Harms would also die in the flu epidemic, in October of that year. The Secession building–seen as a symbol of “degenerate art” and destroyed under Nazi rule–was rebuilt after the war and remains open today. It’s well worth a visit if you’re in Vienna.
Seated Woman with Bent Knees (1917) I’ve seen this painting under different titles and dates. Maria Costantino calls it “Woman Sitting with Left Leg Drawn Up” dated 1918. The National Gallery in Prague, where the painting now lives, titled it “Seated Woman with Bent Knees” dated (1917), so I use this when I talk about the image, which I often do because I love it and it’s also on the cover of my book. The painting is currently on tour IN Vienna, where much of my novel is set, so I’ve been collecting pictures of the book with the painting (if you’re in Vienna–or know someone there who might be up for taking a photo, please let me know!) I’ve also seen the painting called Seated Woman with Bent Knee (singular “knee”). Schiele’s wife, Edith Harms, posed for this painting.
Trieste Harbor (1907) Schiele would have been about 17 when he painted this image, and I include it because it reminded me that I want to visit Trieste myself! Maria Costantino points out the influence of Van Gogh in the work. When I look at it, I like to imagine Schiele as a young man, gazing at the harbor, painting.
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