Woman in Black Stockings

Egon Schiele made this drawing of a woman in black stockings sometime before he died, far too young, in 1918. Look at the economy of marks that conjure the sitter's face, hair, and torso. The line is so sure, so concise, that it gives the impression of total spontaneity. But of course, it’s underpinned by many, many hours of practice. There is a very real sense of the body in Schiele’s work, which is not always a given in figurative painting. The stockinged legs are rendered as thick, shiny volumes, the black ink almost sculptural in its density. But the dress, on the other hand, is a flimsy series of lines and angles that barely contain the body beneath. Note also the almost scribbled rendering of the hands, which are just a few short lines. I think Schiele is the ancestor of many artists, maybe even Tracey Emin. He shows us how to make images that are bold, confrontational, and a little bit strange. It's his way of keeping the conversation going.