One-Year Volunteer Lance-Corporal 1916

Egon Schiele made this watercolor and pencil drawing, One-Year Volunteer Lance-Corporal, amidst the chaos of World War I. Schiele, like many artists of his time, found himself caught in the gears of military service, a fate that deeply impacted his artistic vision. The sitter's pale complexion and slightly averted gaze hints at the psychological toll of war and military life. Despite the uniform, a symbol of conformity and national identity, there's a vulnerability in the figure's posture and expression that humanizes him. Schiele himself experienced the brutal realities of war, though he managed to avoid frontline combat. His position as a war artist allowed him a unique perspective. The drawing seems to reflect on the loss of innocence and the emotional weight carried by individuals within the larger machinery of conflict. Schiele said “The war was so unnecessary.” This artwork encapsulates the complex interplay between personal identity and the overwhelming forces of history. It invites us to contemplate the human cost of war.