The artwork titled “Sitting girl” is a creation by the Austrian painter Egon Schiele, completed in 1917. Schiele was an important figure in the Expressionist movement, and this work is categorized within the genre of nude painting (nu). He is known for his intense and evocative renditions of the human form, and this piece is emblematic of his characteristic style.
“Sitting girl” is a compelling example of Schiele’s approach to portraying the human body with a bold and candid emotional intensity. The composition features a nude female figure seated in an unconventional pose that contorts her body, giving an impression of movement or discomfort. Her expression is somewhat disconcerted or distant, which, paired with the pose, suggests psychological depth and complexity. The figure’s flesh is rendered with a pale coloration, detailed with strokes and lines that emphasize the anatomy and contours of the body, imbuing the artwork with a raw and palpable sense of human vulnerability.
Distinctive to Schiele’s work is the use of bold outlines that sharply define the form of the figure. The background remains largely unadorned, drawing focus to the subject. Added to this, striking touches of red are present on the subject’s lips and nipples, and a vivid red garment or fabric is situated beneath her, contrasting powerfully with the pale tones of the flesh. The artwork exudes a palpable tension between the stark presentation of the human form and the vibrant life suggested by the intense color highlights.
In essence, “Sitting girl” is a testament to Egon Schiele’s masterful ability to convey emotional resonance through the stark and unfiltered depiction of the human body, marking the painting as a significant contribution to the Expressionist oeuvre.
