Portrait of a Woman with Blue and Green Scarf 1914

Egon Schiele made this portrait of a woman with a blue and green scarf, with gouache and pencil on paper. Look at those blues and greens, mixed with the warm hues of the skin – it feels like Schiele was really working, pushing, and pulling at the image until it snapped into focus. I imagine Schiele standing before his model, charcoal in hand, quickly mapping out the figure's pose with nervous, searching lines. It feels like she’s sitting uncomfortably; maybe he’s asked her to hold this position for a long period? Then, he goes in with watercolor, letting those washes of color define the planes of her face and the folds of her clothing. Notice the way the blue bleeds into the paper, creating these blurry edges. It’s like he’s trying to capture not just her likeness, but the very essence of her being. You know, painters are always chatting to each other across time. Schiele might have been looking at Klimt; I wonder if I am in conversation with Schiele now? Painting is an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.