Schiele portrayed cities and landscapes as if they were humans and imbued them with emotional depth. His depictions of oddly twisted cities and riverside scenes set against dark backgrounds present unique creations that reflect his personal struggles and the anxiety of his time.

He expressed his sadness for those who had lost their senses of creativity and freedom and slipped into emotional isolation through dark-toned landscapes. Rather than portraying the scenery as he saw it, he freely reassembled elements to create newly imagined scenes.