Egon Schiele. Der Anfang. The Beginning

This is the first publication to focus on Schiele's early works, and it includes both in-depth analysis and reproductions of hitherto unpublished works. During his first creative phase, Schiele developed several basic formal principles, among them his distinctive brushstroke, his intensity and the expressive line that characterises his work.

'The Beginning' provides both visual and textual insights into the development of an artist who defined an era. It starts with Egon Schiele's childhood in his parental home near the railway station of Tulln, casts light on the cultural, social, and family circumstances that shaped his art and personality, and concludes with his designation from the Vienna Art Academy in 1909. Numerous large reproductions illustrate the evolution of his basic formal drawing principles and analyse the artist's first creative phase, reflecting his dissatisfaction with the traditional style of the time.
The various essays focus on crucial aspects of Schiele's art, his child portraits, his friendship with Klimt, and the collections and collectors of his early work. These discussions are all based on the latest source material.