Egon Schiele, known for his intense and raw sexuality in his artwork, was a major figurative painter of the early 20th century. In 1910, he painted one of his most notable pieces of nude art, Kneeling Nude with Raised Hands. This painting reflects Schiele’s approach to the human form and exudes a nervous human sensuality in its depiction of a nude woman on her knees with her hands raised.
Schiele’s models are often only identifiable by their hair color, and it is impossible to determine whether or not he had an incestuous relationship with Gertrude Schiele, the model for Seated Female Nude With Raised Right Arm. However, his self-portraits demonstrate psychological intensity while his depictions of young women are treated as objects for formal analysis.
Female Nude with Green Cap (1914) is another notable painting by Schiele that was featured in The Radical Nude exhibition at The Courtauld Gallery. While his works from 1910-12 reflect feelings of confusion and fear, Female Nude with Green Cap showcases Schiele’s ability to convey emotions through form and color.
Overall, Egon Schiele’s female nudes challenge traditional notions of beauty and aesthetic appeal while expressing raw sensuality through form and color.