Seated Woman, Back View
Original title: Seated Woman, Back View
kurzbeschreibung
Egon Schiele made this Seated Woman, Back View in 1917. A woman appears from behind, wearing a blue-striped top; the sheet is executed in watercolor, opaque watercolor, and graphite on paper.
Description
The sitter's back faces the viewer, her head tilted slightly to one side. A curly braid tied with a yellow ribbon falls downward. One hand rests at her head, the other is raised. On the ground beneath the figure lies a skull adorned with a flower; the background stays a uniform beige.
Context
The sheet was made in 1917 in Vienna, during a phase of intense artistic work. The back view and the pairing of a female figure with vanitas signs such as the skull recur often in Schiele's work. He was known for expressive depictions of the body and for his reflections on existence and transience.
Impact
From the first glance, the figure radiates a quiet, inward-turned calm. The closed posture and the calm, empty background hold the gaze, while the skull at the seated woman's feet sets a dark counter-note and gives the image a melancholy depth.
Technique
Watercolor, opaque watercolor, and graphite on paper are combined here. The graphite lines sit precisely, while the watercolor washes remain transparent and flat. Where opaque watercolor is used, individual areas stand out, such as the top and the braid.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)