Conversion 1912

Egon Schiele made this drawing, Conversion, with pencil and gouache, though the exact date remains a mystery. Look closely, and you can see the nervous energy of the lines, so raw they almost vibrate off the paper. The colors are muted, mostly earthy browns and grays, with jolts of blue that give the drawing some depth. The figures seem to be emerging from or dissolving into the background. Schiele’s process is so evident here. See how he layers the lines, building up the forms hesitantly, as if he’s feeling his way through the composition. I am drawn to the hand, just there, a study in the ambiguity that makes his work so compelling. The starkness of the figures reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, a fellow expressionist who wasn't afraid to confront the complexities of human emotion. Schiele’s art reminds us that art is not about answers; it's about the questions we ask.