Standing Woman in Red 1913

Egon Schiele made this Standing Woman in Red with what looks like red chalk or conte crayon, and a thin wash of watercolor, maybe. It's all about line. The figure is built from rapid, searching marks, as if he’s trying to trap her on the page. I imagine him circling her, almost like a predator, but also intensely, madly in love with her. The paper is stained a sickly yellow. Is that foxing, or did he do that on purpose? The stockings are such a strong, carnal red, in contrast to the pale, nervous marks that make up her body. You can see the pentimenti – the ghost marks underneath – where Schiele changed his mind. It’s like he’s undressing and re-dressing her, right before our eyes. I am reminded of other figurative painters such as Jenny Saville and Marlene Dumas, who deal with similar subject matter in their own ways. We’re all in conversation, all the time.