Reclining Semi Nude with Red Hat 1910

Egon Schiele made this Reclining Semi Nude with Red Hat at an unknown date with watercolor, and what feels like an urgent, thin, wiry line. The colors aren’t blended, but laid down side by side, like in that drapery by her legs. There’s a rawness that’s really compelling. It’s like he’s not trying to hide the work, but instead, is almost flaunting the process, the way he works his way around the figure. That band of white, it’s not really a border, it’s more like a shock. Look at the red hat – it’s not just red, it’s a mix of reds and oranges. It feels like a bold, confident choice, especially against that ochre ground. Schiele's work always reminds me a bit of Paula Modersohn-Becker, that same kind of direct, unflinching gaze. I think it's this sense of immediacy and vulnerability that makes Schiele so powerful, like he’s pulling you into his own experience of seeing. You know, art isn't about answers, but about the questions we ask along the way.