Portrait of Marga Boerner 1917

Egon Schiele captured Marga Boerner in this drawing using watercolor and pencil, immortalizing her with his distinctive expressionist style. Schiele, who lived in a time of immense social and political transformation in Austria, was deeply influenced by the burgeoning modernist movements and the psychological theories of his time. Boerner’s averted gaze and the slight tension in her posture evoke a sense of introspection or unease. The vibrant, almost fragmented, colors of her clothing contrast with the paleness of her skin, perhaps suggesting a complex inner life beneath a colorful exterior. The intensity of Schiele's gaze upon his subjects often reflects a desire to penetrate beyond surface appearances, probing into the emotional and psychological depths of his sitters. Consider how Schiele, through his art, engages with themes of identity, emotion, and the human condition, offering us a glimpse into the tumultuous inner worlds of his subjects.