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Egon SchieleAustrian painter and graphic artist
Date of Birth: 12.06.1890
Country:  Austria |
Content:
Biography of Egon Schiele
Early Life and EducationEgon Schiele was an Austrian painter and graphic artist, known as one of the most prominent figures of Austrian Expressionism. He was born in Tulln, Lower Austria, on June 12, 1890. His mother was a Czech from South Bohemia, specifically from the town of Cesky Krumlov. Schiele's father was a railway employee from Vienna who tragically died from syphilis in 1905. After his father's death, Schiele was raised by his uncle, Leopold Czihaczek.
In 1906, Schiele enrolled in the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts, and later transferred to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. It was during this time that he found a mentor and patron in Gustav Klimt, a prominent Austrian symbolist painter.
Artistic Career
In 1908, Schiele held his first exhibition in Klosterneuburg, a town near Vienna where he had previously studied. The following year, Klimt invited Schiele to participate in an exhibition at the Vienna Secession, where his works were showcased alongside Klimt's own paintings as well as those of Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch.
In 1911, Schiele began a relationship with Valerie Neuzil, who was both a model and a lover of Klimt. The couple fled from the bohemian life in Vienna to Cesky Krumlov, and then to Neulengbach. However, in 1912, Schiele was arrested on charges of seducing a minor. During a search of his residence, the police discovered several explicit drawings, which were deemed pornographic. Schiele was sentenced to a short period of imprisonment.
From 1912 to 1916, Schiele exhibited his works extensively in Vienna, Budapest, Munich, Prague, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Zurich, Hagen, Dresden, Berlin, Rome, Cologne, Brussels, and Paris. After Klimt's death in 1918, Schiele emerged as one of Austria's leading artists. Unfortunately, just three days after the death of his pregnant wife Edith, Schiele succumbed to the Spanish flu epidemic that claimed the lives of millions across Europe.
Legacy
Egon Schiele left behind a legacy of approximately 300 paintings and several thousand drawings. Following his death, his artworks have been exhibited and continue to be displayed in major museums around the world. His life has been the subject of novels such as Joanna Scott's "Arrogance" (1990) and Lewis Crofts' "The Pornographer of Vienna" (2007). A biographical film titled "Egon Schiele: Excess and Punishment" was released in 1981, starring Mathieu Carrière and Jane Birkin. French singer Mylène Farmer mentioned Schiele's name in her famous song "Je te rends ton amour" (1999), with the lyrics: "Et je reprends mon amour, Redeviens le contour, De mon seul maître: Egon Schiele" (And I take back my love, Become the outline, Of my only master: Egon Schiele).
