Nude drawing “Reclining Woman” (1918) by Egon Schiele, limited reproduction

Egon Schiele (1890–1918) was a co-founder of the Neukunst group, which emerged in 1909 and vehemently sought to distance itself from the rigid traditions of academic art. After studying at the Vienna Academy (1906–09), his early work showed Impressionist influences before Expressionist traits began to appear in his painting from 1910 onward. His female nudes, in particular, characterized by provocative sensuality, contradicted the prevailing moral standards and led to his imprisonment in 1912. Schiele increasingly turned to a tectonic pictorial structure and integrated cityscapes and landscapes into his works, which, however, always conveyed a somber mood of decay. His portraits reflected the inner lives of his models and earned him considerable acclaim. Schiele's works are key pieces bridging Art Nouveau and Expressionism and fetch top prices at auctions; the most important collection is housed in the Leopold Museum in Vienna.