Austrian painter Egon Schiele's work has consistently drawn me to the icy stares and twisted body shapes of his portraits. Mentored by Gustav Klimt, Shiele spent much of his working life in Vienna and one of my favourite town's Cesky Krumlov, Cz. Here, we pick some of his most stunning work and tell you where to see it.
Portrait of the publisher Eduard Kosmack (1910)
This portrait of the Vienesse publisher has always struck me as full of tension and menace. I often wonder whether Kosmack would have been dismayed at Shiele's portrayal of him but the details on his hands ears are vivid.
The Green Stocking (1914)
The contrast between the green and orange clothing is striking, as are the woman's typical Shiele features - angular and aggressive. A captivating piece.
Holy Family (1913)
Religion doesn't feature heavily in Shiele's work but I've always found this piece striking. In his book on Shiele, art historian Wolfgang Georg Fischer says: "The child has the quality of an apparition. About the woman's head there is a yellow halo and the hands seem to be making ritual gestures."
Artist's Wife Painting
The way her feet disappear into nothing give this a fantastic ethereal quality.
The unusual pose in this one and the elongated fingers are eye catching. And she's pretty foxy.
Top places to see Egon Shiele's work
The Egon Schiele Art Centre, Siroka 71, Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Leopold Museum, Museumsplatz 1, Vienna 1070, Austria
Neue Galerie, 1048 5th Ave New York
Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27, 1030 Wien, Austria
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