The artwork titled “Woman with Blue Stockings” was crafted by the influential Expressionist artist Egon Schiele in 1912. This piece is executed in watercolor on paper and exemplifies the Expressionist movement, characterized by its vivid emotional resonance and distortion to evoke mood and ideas. The dimensions of this artwork measure 31.75 x 44.13 cm and it belongs to the genre of nude painting (nu). Presently, this artwork resides within a private collection.
In the artwork, the subject is depicted in an unconventional pose, reflecting Schiele’s characteristic style that often contorted and elongated the human form. The woman is lying back with her legs elevated and crossed, donned in blue stockings that stand out against the warm hues of her surroundings. Her facial features seem relaxed or in a state of repose, and her attire, aside from the strikingly colored stockings, includes a skirt which only partially covers her form, suggesting the intimate and candid quality of the work. This intimate depiction is in harmony with the sensibilities of the Expressionist movement, portraying an emotional experience rather than an objective reality. The line work is expressive and immediate, while the color palate is selective, emphasizing particular aspects of the subject’s figure and attire.
