Portrait of a Man

"Portrait of a Man" by Egon Schiele, created in 1914, is a definitive example of the artist's engagement with the intense graphic arts of the era, produced just before the turbulent start of World War I. Executed using the drypoint technique, this work showcases the raw, angular intensity characteristic of Schiele’s Viennese Expressionist period. The drypoint medium, where a sharp point scratches lines directly into the copper plate, naturally lends itself to the nervous, deeply incised lines that define the subject's contours and demeanor.

Schiele specialized in these psychologically charged portraits, stripping away societal politeness to expose inner tension and emotional fragility. This print focuses intensely on the head and shoulders of an unidentified man, capturing him with relentless precision. Schiele’s unique compositional approach emphasizes skeletal structure and high-contrast rendering, amplifying the feeling of vulnerability. The intense gaze directed outward challenges the viewer, a hallmark of the artist's mature style for depicting men. The work transcends simple likeness, serving instead as a powerful study of the anxiety and introspection prevalent in early twentieth-century modernism.

This important drypoint is classified among the most significant prints created by the artist during his brief but influential career. It serves as a crucial artifact documenting the emotional and stylistic explorations of German and Austrian Expressionism. This valuable piece is held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, demonstrating Schiele’s lasting mastery of intaglio processes.