Egon Schiele's Botanical Drawings

So whilst scanning the internet for images, I also came across some of Egon Schiele's work (1890 –  1918). A protégé of Gustav Klimt, Schiele was a major figurative painter of the early 20th century. His work is mostly noted for its intensity. His exquisite use of a simple, singular, expressive line marks the artist as an early exponent of Expressionists. It his depictions of twisted body shapes and raw sexuality that he is most known for, but I feel less is said about his botanical works. I for one didn't know that he ever made studies of plants. I am not sure how that skipped me by, but nevertheless it did. Maybe I was just so captivated by his portraits that I didn't bother looking for anything else?

Field of Flowers by Egon Schiele

Regardless of this though, I have at last come across his studies and I have to say I really rather like them. It's his use of line that fascinates me more than anything; the slightly emaciated look of his subjects and the way he places the object on the canvas. The compositions don't appear to be very structured possibly conveying the very chaotic nature of the wild. The plants seem to 'dance' on the page - they all look very theatrical and slightly animated. I particularly like his sunflower at the end of this post and his piece titled 'Autumn', the latter of which reminds me of the fields behind my studio at the moment. 

Autumn Sun and Trees by Egon Schiele

Field of Flowers by Egon Schiele

Young Trees with Support by Egon Schiele, 1912

Blumenstudie by Egon Schiele, 1918

Foxglove by Egon Schiele

Weiße Chrysantheme by Egon Schiele, 1910

Sunflower II by Egon Schiele

Autumn by Egon Schiele

Sonnenbaum (Sunlit tree) by Egon Schiele, 1910

Sunflower by Egon Schiele