Self-Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant

• Egon Schiele (1890–1918)
• 1912
• Oil, opaque color on wood
• Leopold Museum, Vienna

The artists experiencing rapid social changes and political unrest of the Austro-Hungarian Empire agonized over the crisis of their self-identity. Egon Schiele explored this theme in intense visual manifestations. On a simple, white background, Schiele’s dark clothes and the bright red of the Chinese lantern plant are placed side-by-side to create a balanced composition. Schiele’s shoulders are turned to the sides and the head is tilted back slightly to look down confidently at the viewer. Schiele’s fine lines express his sensitive nature and uneasiness.