The artwork titled “Portrait of a Woman with Black Hair” is a creation of Egon Schiele from 1914, crafted in Vienna, Austria. Schiele’s work is broadly assigned to the Expressionism movement. The portrait’s dimensions are 45 x 31.7 cm, and it currently resides in a private collection. As a genre, the piece is recognized as a portrait.
The artwork features a female subject depicted with stark emotion and expressionism. The woman’s black hair is voluminous, accentuated with dense, dark strokes and lighter undulations that suggest its curl and depth. Her face is rendered with exaggerated features such as pronounced red lips, rosy cheeks, and vibrant blue eyes dotted with red, which may denote the intensity of gaze or fatigue. The use of color is selective and poignant, with splashes of red and blue set against the largely monochrome depiction of the subject.
Schiele’s distinctive style is evident in the raw and candid portrayal of the subject, with seemingly unfinished areas that communicate a sense of immediacy and intimacy. The background of the portrait is minimal, drawing the viewer’s focus entirely to the figure and her striking features. The expressive quality of line and contour, characteristic of Schiele’s oeuvre, invokes a psychological depth, ensuring that the viewer continues to engage with the complexity of the subject’s character.
