I Love Antitheses 1912

Egon Schiele made this watercolour, I Love Antitheses, sometime before his death in 1918. It’s like, whoa, this guy’s got a way of smearing colour around that’s both reckless and totally on point. I’m really drawn to the way the warm oranges of the coat contrast with the cool greys and blacks behind it. Notice how the paint isn't overworked? Some areas are more defined, like the face, while others are just suggested with a few strokes. This economy of means is what makes Schiele so effective. Take a look at the edges of the coat where the colour bleeds into the paper, creating a soft halo effect. These watery marks lend a certain fragility to the figure. It’s this willingness to leave things unresolved that aligns him with someone like Francis Picabia, who, like Schiele, was interested in pushing the boundaries of representation, embracing the messiness of the process, and celebrating the beauty of imperfection.