With his graphic style, distortion of forms, and challenge to conventional beauty standards, Egon Schiele (1890–1918) was a pioneer of Austrian Expressionism and one of the most striking portraitists of the 20th century. Guided by Gustav Klimt, Schiele initially engaged with the luminous style of Art Nouveau before developing his own harsher and provocative aesthetic with bold lines, vivid hues, and elongated forms. His prolific portraits and self-portraits shocked Viennese society with unprecedented psychological and sexual intensity, preferring erotic, expositional, or chilling poses where either he or his models recline on the ground, bending with open legs, staring grimly at the viewer, or exposing their genitals. His models appear sometimes skeletal and sickly, while in others strong and sensual. Many of his contemporaries considered Schiele's work not only ugly but morally unacceptable; in 1912, the artist was temporarily imprisoned for immorality. Today, his work is celebrated for its revolutionary approach to the human body and for its direct and intensely vivid, almost angry, calligraphy. This book presents Schiele's key works to introduce his brief but urgent career and his profound contribution to the development of modern art, extending to the works of contemporary talents such as Tracey Emin and Jenny Saville.

Pages: 96, Year of Publication: 0906, Dimensions: 21x21cm