Woman Undressing 1914

Egon Schiele made this watercolour of a Woman Undressing in Austria around the time of the First World War. In its fragmented representation of the female body, this image challenges the traditional male gaze and reflects the social and psychological anxieties of its time. The loose, expressive lines and fragmented composition capture a sense of vulnerability and unease, typical of the Expressionist movement, that questioned the social structures of its time. This was a time when traditional notions of beauty were being challenged and artists explored new ways of representing the human form, often focusing on psychological and emotional states. As art historians, we can look at Schiele's work in the context of early 20th-century Vienna, a city undergoing rapid modernization and social change. By exploring archival sources, contemporary criticism, and biographical details, we can gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and institutional forces that shaped Schiele's artistic vision. Through this understanding, we realize that the true meaning of a work of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.