Das Schlafende Mädchen 1913

Egon Schiele made this drawing of a sleeping girl with pencil and watercolor, and right away you can see his art is about the process. I mean, look how he leaves the pencil lines visible – it's like he’s saying, "Here's how it's done, folks!" The orange watercolor is really juicy, like it was quickly washed across the legs and hair. I wonder, was this a study for a larger piece? There's something very intimate about the way Schiele captures this girl, with the frenetic pencil marks giving a sense of his energy, and the way he has built up the shading on her legs. The orange is a surprise, an unexpected color. It makes you feel like you're looking at her under a strange light, a very specific moment. Schiele reminds me of Alice Neel, another artist who wasn't afraid to be honest and raw in her portraits, even if it meant making people a little uncomfortable. I love that these artists are more interested in truth than beauty, and that they teach us that there are many ways to see the world.