University of Leeds
School of Fine Art, History of Art & Cultural Studies
POSSIBILITY
Schiele created many self-portraits, often twisting his body into extreme poses or presenting himself completely nude.
These images show him treating his own body as something to be looked at, almost as if he were observing himself as an outsider — a striking example of self-objectification.
Schiele’s portraits focus intensely on the act of being seen.
He often removes detailed backgrounds, positions figures frontally, and centers the body itself.
This minimalist setting forces viewers to confront the body directly, emphasizing the raw, exposed relationship between the subject and the gaze.
Many of Schiele’s models were young women, and his drawings often contain a charged mix of vulnerability, desire, and unease.
Rather than idealizing the female body, Schiele exposes the tension between the artist and the sitter — a dynamic shaped by power, sexuality, and the discomfort of being watched.
Self-Portrait
Egon Schiele
Austrian,
Tulln 1890–1918 Vienna
1991
Watercolor, graphite, and opaque watercolor on paper
51.4 x 34.9 cm
Schiele’s self-portraits explore vulnerability, desire, and the instability of the self.
His gaze turns inward, using the body to reveal psychological tension rather than idealized form.
Question： When you look at these portraits, are you witnessing what he sees—or how he feels?
Nude in Black Stockings
Egon Schele
Austrian,
Tulln 1890–1918 Vienna
1917
Opaque watercolor, watercolor, and charcoal on paper
46 x 29.5 cm
The model’s twisted posture and direct exposure challenge traditional ideas of beauty and modesty. The body becomes a site of discomfort and honesty, revealing how looking can feel intimate yet uneasy.
1890
Born in Tulln, Austria.
1906-09
Studies at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna; quickly becomes frustrated with conservative training.
1907
Meets Gustav Klimt, who becomes a mentor figure and introduces him to patrons, models, and the Viennese avant-garde.
1909
Co-founds the New Art Group (Neukunstgruppe) with other avant-garde students; begins developing his raw, expressive style.
1910-12
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Produces many self-portraits and portraits with stark psychological tension and eroticism.
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His work is critiqued for its explicitness; local authorities accuse him of obscenity and briefly arrest him in 1912.
1915
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Marries Edith Harms; soon drafted into the Austrian army during WWI.
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Continues to draw during military service.
1917-18
Gains growing recognition in wartime Vienna exhibitions.
1918
Dies at age 28 from the Spanish Flu, shortly after his pregnant wife Edith’s death.