Egon Schiele. The Complete Paintings 1909-1918

Egon Schiele, a child prodigy, had ten years to create his signature style before the Spanish flu claimed his life. His work spoke of brutal honesty and influenced generations of artists, fetching exorbitant prices on the international art market. The Complete Paintings 1909–1918 features 221 paintings and 146 drawings, paired with excerpts from his writings and poems, to trace his legacy.

Format: Hardback
Length: 608 pages
Publication date: 04 October 2019
Publisher: Taschen GmbH

After breaking free from the influence of his mentor and role model Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele had a mere ten years to leave his indelible mark on the world of modernity before the Spanish flu claimed his life. As a child prodigy, Schiele was acutely aware of his exceptional talent and his penchant for provocation. This challenge did not deter him. His haggard, overextended figures, daring portrayal of sexuality, and self-portraits, where he portrayed himself with emaciated facial expressions that veered between brilliance and madness, lacked the decorative quality of Klimt's hymns of love, sexuality, and yearning devotion. Instead, Schiele's work carried a raw honesty that would shake and irrevocably transform Viennese society.

Despite facing initial defamation and being nearly forgotten, Schiele's artistic legacy endured and influenced generations of artists. Figures such as Francis Bacon, Günter Brus, and Tracey Emin can trace their artistic inspirations back to his works. Today, his once-misunderstood oeuvre continues to fetch exorbitant prices on the international art market.

Presented in a comprehensive format, Egon Schiele: The Complete Paintings 1909–1918 showcases a vast collection of 221 paintings and 146 drawings, offering a comprehensive glimpse into the fertile final decade of Schiele's life. Many of these pieces have been newly photographed for this edition, providing a fresh perspective on his artistic journey. Accompanying these artworks are excerpts from his extensive writings and poems, as well as essays that introduce his life and oeuvre, placing him within the context of European Expressionism and tracing his extraordinary legacy.

In conclusion, Egon Schiele's journey from the shadow of Klimt to his own distinctive style was a short but remarkable one. His uncompromising honesty, bold portrayal of sexuality, and self-reflection in his art challenged societal norms and left an indelible mark on the world of art. Despite facing adversity and obscurity, Schiele's legacy continues to thrive, and his works continue to inspire and influence artists across generations.

Weight: 6926g
Dimension: 325 x 466 x 72 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783836546126