Austrian painter Egon Schiele is renowned for his figurative work in the early 20th century. His paintings are characterized by their intensity, raw sensuality, and focus on raw emotion. One of his most recognized paintings is Two Women Embracing from 1915, which depicts two women holding each other closely.
The painting shows a melancholic and lonely scene that evokes a sense of abandonment. The use of pale shades and muted colors emphasizes the dreary nature of the moment captured. Schiele’s signature raw sensuality still comes through in the embrace between the two women; it is passionate yet distant, conveying a sense that they’re emoting without truly connecting.
It is important to note that Schiele’s personal life influenced his artwork greatly. By 1915 he had met both Edith and Adele Harms, marrying Edith while simultaneously deciding to keep Wally as his mistress. This caused Wally to leave him for good and become a nurse before dying just two years later in 1917. This heartbreak may have inspired some regret for Schiele which could have transferred over to this painting’s themes.
Overall, Schiele’s work Two Women Embracing from 1915 remains an intriguing piece due to its unique portrayal of passion while also capturing the feeling of loneliness or isolation between individuals even when together physically.”
