Standing Nude with Orange Drapery (recto): Study of Nude with Arms Raised (verso) 1914

Egon Schiele made this nude study with pencil and gouache on paper sometime before his death in 1918. The seeming casualness of these materials belies Schiele's intense focus on the human form. The starkness of the nude figure is emphasized through the thin lines and limited palette. The orange gouache, applied in broad strokes, creates a contrast against the delicate pencil work, highlighting the drapery's texture and weight. Schiele's process reveals a fascination with the body as both object and subject, rendered with an almost brutal honesty. His approach, while rooted in academic tradition, pushes against it, using line and color to convey psychological depth. This piece reflects a broader artistic trend of the time, questioning established norms and embracing raw, emotional expression. By focusing on the materiality of the drawing, we can appreciate Schiele's ability to transform simple materials into a powerful statement about the human condition.