Egon Schiele

Exhibited by W&K-Wienerroither & Kohlbacher

Material Gouache, watercolor, and pencil on paper

Dimensions 31.7 x 48.1 cm

Status Not Vetted

About the Work

Egon Schiele's ‘Blinking Girl’ from 1912 is an outstanding example of his sensitive portrait art and epitomises the aesthetic and psychological tendencies of Viennese Expressionism.

The composition, characterised by a striking reduction, testifies to Schiele's masterly handling of line, colour and surface. The figure is tilted to the left, the head rests in the hands, the majority of the sheet remains empty. Through his sparing use of line and delicate colouring, which concentrates on the face and hair, Schiele directs the viewer's gaze to the figure's soul. The empty background reinforces the girl's isolation and creates space for interpretation.

With minimal means, Schiele impressively succeeds in depicting great emotional depth. Unlike many of his sexualised or provocative nudes of the years 1910-1914, this work shows a quiet, sensitive side to his artistic work. The girl seems introverted, shy, embarrassed, perhaps sad or exhausted - the expression remains open but haunting. The strength of Schiele's portraiture lies precisely in this ambiguity - a moment of intense self-observation, captured with great psychological precision.

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Provenance

Christian M. Nebehay collection, Vienna;
Serge Sabarsky collection (1912-1996), New York (acquired from the above in 1980);
Serge Sabarsky estate, New York;
Vally Sabarsky collection (1909-2002), New York;
Vally Sabarsky Foundation, New York;
Ketterer Kunst, Munich, 2022.

Literature

- XL. Biennale di Venezia: Visual Arts 82, Giardini di Castello, Venedig, 13.6.-12.9.1982, Kat.-Nr. 18.
- Egon Schiele, Pinacoteca Capitolina, Campidoglio, Rom, 21.6.-8.8.1984; Galleria Internazionale d'Arte Moderna Ca' Pesaro,
Venedig, 25.8.1984-12.1.1985; Fondation Pierre Giannada, Martigny, 26.11.1986-25.1.1987, Kat.-Nr. 113 (m. Abb.).
- Egon Schiele (und Gustav Klimt), Fondation Pierre Gianadda, Martigny, 28.11.1986-25.1.1987, Kat.-Nr. 61.
- Egon Schiele: vom Schüler zum Meister. Zeichnungen und Aquarelle 1906-1918, Nürnberg 1984, Kat.-Nr. 70
- Egon Schiele. 100 Zeichnungen und Aquarelle, Florenz, 1988, Kat.-Nr. 50.
- Egon Schiele 1890-1918. A Centennial Retrospective, New York 1990, Kat.-Nr. 50 (m. Abb.).
- Jane Kallir, Egon Schiele. The Complete Works, New York 1990, S. 475, Kat.-Nr. D1105 (m. Abb.).
- Egon Schiele, Mezinárodní kulturní centrum Egona Schieleho, Krumau 1997, S. 142f.
- Jane Kallir, Egon Schiele. The Complete Works, New York 1998, S. 475, Kat.-Nr. D1105 (m. Abb.).
- Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka. Wien omkring arhundredeskiftet, Kopenhagen 2002, Kat.-Nr. 56 (m. Abb.)
- Egon Schiele. The Ronald S. Lauder and Serge Sabarsky Collections, Neue Galerie, New York 2005, Kat.-Nr. D94, S. 412 (m. Abb.)