Reclining Woman with Red Blouse 1908

This is a drawing of a reclining woman with a red blouse by Egon Schiele. Look at how the red blouse is rendered with these rhythmic blue stripes and dots! You can see the artist's hand in the repeated marks, the slight wobbles, and the gentle pressure. It's like Schiele is almost caressing the surface of the paper. There’s a sadness to the figure, isn't there? Her face is obscured by her hand, as if hiding from view. I can imagine Schiele, working quickly, trying to capture a fleeting moment of vulnerability or melancholy. Maybe he felt it himself? I have to say there's something really brave about laying yourself bare like that, isn't there? It makes me think of other artists who are committed to expressing difficult emotions, like Paula Rego. The way we express ourselves is always connected to others, and looking at art across time shows us a wide range of possibilities for the same feelings. Each artist inspires others and has something new to say about it, don't you think?