Essay on Egon Schiele, Abstract Expressionist, Figure Drawing Artist

When I was first given the monumental task of selecting one of an almost infinite number of figure drawing artists throughout the last century, I felt as if I would fold under the pressure.  I did not expect to come across any figure drawing artist that I'd be able to relate with on many intensely personal levels.  I was demoralized and disdained about the entire ordeal, when something resembling fate offered me...
a contemporary figure drawing artist that I could relate to both mentally, and aesthetically.  I had recently drawn my own self portrait prior to receiving this assignment, and was fervently asking all my professors for their personal critique.  Upon showing it to my Art History professor, he was immediately taken aback, and asked me if I had ever seen any of Austrian figure drawing artist, Egon Schiele's work.  He was amazed to see the striking similarity between the treatment of my self portrait, and some of Egon Schiele's self portraits.  At first, I had no idea who Egon Schiele was, and couldn't imagine that I could have possibly come anywhere close to a professional and well established artist, in terms of treatment and line composition.  When I decided to look up this artist, I was completely astounded by the striking similarities in concept and composition that Egon Schiele and I, shared.  I was instantly sold on Egon Schiele. I was amazed by his story, and awestruck by his signature treatment of the human figure.

Egon Schiele was born in Tulin, Austria in 1890, as the son of Adolf Schiele, a diligent Austrian State Railway employee. Egon was sent to school in Klosterneuberg, on the outskirts of Vienna, in 1901.  Soon after, his fathers’ health deteriorated rapidly, and later that year, he passed away.  Schiele, who was distraught with his father’s death, had developed a deep spiritual connection with his father, even after his passing.  He wrote nobly about his father, and admired his legacy.  In stark contrast, Egon harbored deep disdain for his mother, mainly because he felt she had not mourned the passing of his father sufficiently.  Egon was also a side note in his mother’s life.  She took no interest in his work, and he always regarded her as a selfish person who was unwilling to make sacrifices for anyone.

In 1906, Egon would finally get a chance to allow his artistic abilities to flourish, when he applied for a position at the School of Arts and Crafts, in Vienna, Austria.  Soon after, he was transferred to the Academy of Fine Arts, where he was accepted.  Schiele was 16 years old when he first attended art school.  Soon after, Schiele sought out his favorite artist, and main inspiration, Gustav Klimt, for guidance.  Klimt was very impressed with Schiele's work, and spoke very highly of the young 16 year old, and his abilities.  Schiele was zealous to improve upon his technique, and eventually Klimt, bought and traded some of his own works with Egon.

Gustav Klimt, who was also a good friend of Schiele, later arranged models for Egon, and even introduced him to potential patrons.  It was clear that Klimt willingly became a mentor for Egon Schiele, and was proud to share his artistic experience, with the young fan.  In 1908, Klimt got Egon Schiele his first official job, working with Wiener Wurkstutte, a distinguished arts and crafts workshop, in Vienna.  In his first job, Egon designed men’s apparel, woman’s shoes, and drawings for postcards.  The exposure was just what the brash young artist needed to catapult his name into the spotlight.  Later that year in 1908, Egon Schiele was given his first Exhibition, in Klosterneuberg.

In 1909, Egon Schiele left school with 3 years of experience in his pocket.  He soon moved into his first studio, and began creating a wide array of both drawings, and paintings.  Schiele was one of many contemporary artists of his time who took pleasure in drawing extremely erotic and revealing portraits of young women.  Some of his fellow contemporaries often regarded him as more of a pornographer, than a serious artist.  Egon however, was not deterred by his critics, and continued in his signature fashion of grotesque treatment and nude poses.  It seems many of his critics may have been right, as Egon did in fact sell many of his early controversial works to pornography collectors, to make an extra income.  In retrospect, many of his fellow artists were jealous of his works pornographic appeal, because it served as a spotlight, allowing Egon Schiele's name to become renowned.  Aside from his detailed fascination with sexually driven composition, Schiele was also an avid fan of his own physical features.  Egon Schiele drew many self portraits throughout his short, yet well known career.  His freedom of expression through his own self-image, attracted many supporters and patrons of his work.  It was in his many self portraits, that Egon's true artistic ambitions, ideals, and signature style was born.  His model drawings and paintings were certainly not secondary to his self portrait accomplishments, but they lack the true depth and insight into his personality that his self portraits give the viewer.  His self portraits seem to depict a young man, ripe with self confidence and fascination, which at the same time holds many insecurities and paranoia about both him, and his colleagues.  They also serve as a window into the way he viewed himself.  Narcissism and sexual expression are two main impressions left by Egon in his portraits, along with many other deep seeded feelings of self pity and hatred.  His line quality suggests a very loose and exaggerated expression, which really lend to the power and impact of his self portraits.

In 1911, Schiele met the seventeen-year-old Wally Neuzil, with whom he was instantly fascinated.  Their strong relationship served as a great stepping stone for Schiele, to grow exponentially as both a human being, and a figure drawing artist.  While they never grew close enough to be married, Wally served as the model for some of his best paintings.  Having previously modeled for Gustav Klimt, Wally Neuzil was a vital part of Egon's artistic development, and served as the bridge between his modest beginning, and his ascension into fame.  Later that year, Egon and Wally moved to Nuelengbach, Austria, to escape the crowded confines of Vienna.  

In April of 1912, Egon Schiele was arrested at his new home, and over 100 of his drawings were seized due to their pornographic nature.  His willingness to allow delinquent children into his apartment also aroused charges of seducing a young woman, under the age of consent.  Schiele was imprisoned for some 22 days before a judge found him not guilty of seduction, and abduction charges.  It was a major bullet that Schiele had dodged, but he was later brought up on charges relating to exhibiting erotic drawings in a place accessible to children.  One of his portraits was later burned, due to a court order, which further emphasized the orthodox publics disdain for Schiele's artwork.  Still a young man at the time, Egon seized his duration in jail, to produce some of his most noteworthy self portraits.  It was due to social injustice, and Egon’s feelings of being a victim, which ultimately helped set his imprisoned self portraits on a higher level than the rest of his self portraits.  His imprisonment served as a motivational experience from which he could build future success upon.  Later that year in 1912, Egon Schiele was formally invited to exhibit some of his finest artwork at the Sonderbund Exhibition, in Cologne.  It was during this ambitious time in Egon’s life, when he met his most dedicated patron and art dealer, Hans Goltz, of Munich.  Schiele was commissioned under Goltz more frequently than any other of his patrons.  Life seemed just as perfect as it could ever get, for the still young and brash Egon Schiele.  His legacy on the contemporary art world, and figure drawing in general, was felt greatest during this glorious time in his life.

By 1915, Egon Schiele had clearly distinguished himself from all his contemporary competition, with his grotesque and forceful human figures that practically defined his style.  His sexually driven composition and humiliative abstractions of the human form were at last being recognized for their unique poses, morose quality and exhibitionist style.  In 1915, Schiele was awarded his own one man exhibition at the Gallery Arnot, which elevated his status as a master of contemporary figure drawing, to unprecedented heights.  Egon Schiele also met his future wife in 1915, who had recently moved into the apartment next door.  At first, Schiele was strongly attracted to his future wife, Edith Harms, and her sister Adele.  Torn between two extremely gorgeous young women, he ultimately chose Edith, to be his wife, because of the security and stability that she offered.  It was an excellent choice for Schiele, who had been in a dead end relationship with Wally Neuzil, his former figure model, and love interest.  Egon and Edith were married in June of 1915.  Life seemed to be taking a rather privileged shape for Egon Schiele, and it reflected in his final artwork, completed just before tragedy ultimately struck his charmed life.

After a brief stay in the Austrian army during World War II allowed time for Egon’s' greatest work to circulate, the young artists status greatly increased.  Schiele was widely regarded as the leading Austrian artist of the younger generation.  Shortly after, he was asked to take part in a government sponsored exhibition in Stockholm, and Copenhagen, which served to improve Austria's image to its' surrounding neighbors.  There was no doubt in anyone’s mind about Egon's hard earned reputation.  He was young, ambitious, and loved to shock even the most hardened artistic patrons of his time, with his sexually stimulating controversial morbid depictions of the human form.  In 1918, Egon Schiele's last exhibition was held at the Sezessions' 49th Annual Exhibition.  Despite wartime woes, the show was a great success, and Schiele's artwork was being sold at three times its original price.  The demand for Egon Schiele's stylistic approach soared.  He had become a very successful figure drawing artist, and his potential seemed incalculable at this great time of success, in Schiele's life.

While tomorrow is never promised to anyone, Egon Schiele's life abruptly ended on October 31, 1918.  He had suffered from the same Spanish influenza, which claimed his wife Edith, only 3 days before his own death.   The death of Edith and Egon Schiele, only three days apart from each other, shocked and devastated the Austrian art community.  A wise man could only postulate of the enormous amount of unfulfilled hopes and ambitions that were so abruptly snuffed out with Egon Schiele.  Many people called him the next Gustav Klimt, from which he drew most of his early influence.  Nobody will ever know if that was true, but one thing is for certain.  Egon Schiele left his mark on the world.  His legacy is still seen in sexually grotesque stylistic abstractions of the human figure, in which he helped to revolutionize.  His memory lingered throughout the closing decades of the 20th century.  It still lingers today.  While it may only be strong enough for the artistically inclined to trace, the impact of Egon Schiele's legacy is still being written.

To conclude, I chose to research Egon Schiele, not because of the initial allure of his stylistic character poses, or the awe inspiring grotesque and humiliative nature of his figures.  I chose to research Egon Schiele, because I believe that I personally exhibit some of those same qualities in my own artwork.  Before I was introduced Egon Schiele's artwork, I was obsessed with capturing the same stylistic pose and grotesquely dark nature in my own self portraits, and other works.  After being exposed to Egon Schiele, I am now obsessed with capturing and perfecting, a similar yet original treatment of the human figure, that will lend mystery and self expression in every compositional line.  As for Egon Schiele's life, it mirrors my own in many ways. It gives me great confidence to know that he achieved artistic immortality, by fearlessly expressing every emotionally captive and grotesque quality in his own life.