The artwork titled “Female Nude” is a creation of the influential artist Egon Schiele dating back to 1910. This piece is an exemplar of the Expressionism movement that was prevalent during that period. It is composed using watercolor on paper, measuring 44.3 by 28.75 cm. The genre of this piece is nude painting (nu), which was a common subject in Schiele’s oeuvre. Currently, the artwork belongs to a private collection and reflects the candid and often raw emotional style for which Schiele is renowned.
The artwork displays a reclining female figure, unclothed and depicted in a state of repose, her body contorted in a manner that is signature to Schiele’s work. The use of watercolor is evident in the fluidity and transparency of hues that cover her skin, revealing an interplay of shadow and light that emphasises the form and curvature of the figure. The bold strokes and patches of color around the head of the female nude create a striking contrast, while the facial expression and closed eyes depict a sense of introspection or possibly surrender, themes recurrent in Schiele’s depiction of human vulnerability and sensuality. The white, unpainted areas contouring the body accentuate its shape and the immediacy of the artist’s approach, revealing his mastery of leaving negative space to suggest volume and depth.
