EGON SCHIELE, DEATH AND THE MAIDEN

Austria, 2016, 110 minutes, Colour.
Noah Saavedra, Maresi Riegner, Valerie Pachner.
Directed by Dieter Berner.


Egon Schiele, 1890-1918, was an Austrian artist, protégée of the artist Gustave Klimt, influential in his lifetime, with artistic and financial success with his exhibition in 1917, dying early but, as the end of the film notes, very successful in the art world and painting sales in succeeding decades.

The film is a portrait with touches of biography. The focus is on the young man, with a talent, sketching, painting, always with an eye on women, his painting of nudes, the women posing and his relationships with them. He is helped by his younger sister Gerti who also serves as a model – and there are some innuendos about Egon’s relationship with his sister. (She is in love with one of his associates, Anton, becoming pregnant, wanting to marry, Egon refusing as her guardian, but her eventually marrying.)

The film recreates the atmosphere of the early 20th century at the end of the Austro- Hungarian empire (with a comment that the Emperor disapproved of Egon Schiele’s paintings). There is a picture of life in Vienna at the period, in artist studios, in the world of models, but also in the courts where Schiele is accused of misconduct with a minor, is not guilty but is confined because of the subject of his paintings.

A lot of the time he lives in the countryside, painting, the touch of the lyrical.

However, at the outbreak of World War I, he is called up, examined, sent to Prague for artwork during the war.

The film focuses on several of his relationships, especially with Wally, a model with whom he lives but with whom he eventually falls out because of his relationship with two sisters, one of whom he marries.

He becomes ill in 1918 and dies at the age of 28.

1. Portrait of an artist? Austrian? Early 20th century? Biography?

2. The period, costumes and decor, Vienna in 1910, the following years, World War I? The city, the streets, the clubs? Apartments and studios? The countryside, the houses, the lyrical aspects of the period? The musical score?

3. Audience knowledge of the artist? His reputation in his time, they are Gustave Klimt and the scene with him, successful, issues of censorship, criminal hearings? Subsequent success? Contemporary value?

4. The opening, Surrealism, faces, agony, death?

5. The portrait of the artist, his age, his talent, drawing, sketching, painting? His mother and the relationship? With Gerti? Young, as his model, the affection between the two? The range of women, his models, his attitude towards them? His visiting the club, the nude tableau, the models, his connection with Moa, her relationship with him, posing, ambitions, relying on him? The further connections with women? With Wally, the bonding with her, as a model, as a partner, his reliance on her? The meeting with Edith and Adele? With the 16-year-old? The accusations, in court, her being a virgin, his being acquitted but still prosecuted for the subject and treatment of his paintings?

6. Egon, character, carefree, his art, taking every opportunity? His friends, forming the club? His falling out with them? Anton, friendship, relationship with Gerti, Egon not giving her permission to marry, her pregnancy? His being her guardian after the uncle abandoned them, refusing money? The eventual wedding, the celebration, his mother, the dancing?

7. Egon, time passing, the countryside, his work, preparing for his exhibition?

8. The prospect of war, his stances, his going to the physical examination, his going to Prague, Wally and her hesitations?

9. Egon, his health, the death of Edith? His mother and her control? Gerti and her support? The various episodes in getting quinine and having to pawn jewellery?

10. Egon, his final illness, his mother, Gertie and the necklace, quinine, too late?

11. A young man, his artistic achievement, reputation – and posthumous success?