Self-Portrait 1911

Egon Schiele created this self-portrait using pencil and watercolor on paper in Austria at the start of the 20th century. It is unflinching in its depiction of the artist's naked body, its raw intensity embodying the expressionist movement’s focus on subjective experience. Schiele, like many of his contemporaries, was deeply influenced by the cultural and intellectual ferment of Vienna at the time. The city was a hotbed of new ideas in psychology, art, and politics, with artists questioning traditional values. The use of distorted forms and jarring colors in the artwork reflects the widespread sense of unease and alienation that characterized the era. Schiele had been imprisoned for the alleged seduction of a minor, this may have influenced the raw emotive quality of his art. Historians consult archival documents, letters, and period publications to better understand the artist's life and the social context. By studying the art of Schiele and his peers we can gain insight into the anxieties and aspirations of a society on the brink of transformation.