Portrait of a Woman

Portrait of a Woman by Egon Schiele, executed in 1910, is a significant example of the Austrian artist’s seminal contribution to early Expressionism. Classified as a print, this work utilizes the challenging and expressive medium of color lithography, a technique Schiele frequently employed to translate the psychological intensity of his subjects into graphic form. The lithographic process allows for the rapid, decisive line work and distinctive chromatic palette characteristic of his burgeoning mature style.

The piece belongs to a key period when Schiele was establishing his reputation for unflinching, psychologically charged portraits of women and peers. Unlike the decorative abstraction of the earlier Vienna Secession movement, the composition focuses sharply on the figure, stripping away environmental details to emphasize internal states of vulnerability or tension. Schiele’s treatment moves beyond simple likeness, instead exploring the raw, often unsettling emotional landscape of the subject.

The creation of powerful, graphic prints like this was essential to the avant-garde movements of the time. Schiele’s profound influence on the trajectory of modern printmaking is evident in the stark contrast and fragmented planes seen here. Works created around 1910 are pivotal in the artist’s career, marking his shift toward an almost brutal realism that challenged traditional portraiture. This impactful visual study of a woman is permanently held within the highly respected collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a testament to the enduring influence of the early 20th century Expressionists, high-resolution reproductions of such historical prints may often be found within public domain collections today.