The artwork “Self Portrait” by Egon Schiele, created in 1911, is a watercolor on paper that belongs to the Expressionist movement and falls under the genre of nude painting (nu). This piece is indicative of Schiele’s raw and emotive style, which often involved a candid and unapologetic presentation of the human body.
In the artwork, the figure of Schiele is presented with a direct and intense gaze that confronts the viewer. The artist’s body is depicted with contorted posture and expressive line work, typical of Schiele’s approach to form and anatomy. The use of watercolor yields a luminosity and transparency, while the visible paper texture contributes to the raw and unfinished quality of the portrait. The predominant warm hues alongside stark contrasts emphasize the physicality and vulnerability of the figure, echoing the emotional undercurrents of Expressionism. The seemingly incomplete areas and white space surrounding the figure further enhance the sense of immediacy and the raw, unfinished nature of human existence that Schiele frequently explored in his work.
