Edith Schiele Seated Essay

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The significant takeaway I garnered from the lecture on content, subject matter, and artistic intentions was the fact art relies entirely on the visual sense and oftentimes lacks any inherent, overt explanation. While this concept isn’t difficult to grasp or a necessarily mind-boggling revelation, the room allowed for the viewer’s interpretation is endless.

I believe the content and interpretation one can gather from Egon Schiele’s painting “Edith Schiele Seated” expresses this sentiment beautifully. I value subtlety in art. While symbolism and metaphor-laden pieces rank as some of the more thought-provoking works of art I’ve seen, it seems as if artists occasionally tend to strive towards being too “deep.” In an attempt to accomplish this,
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The work details a pale, wide-eyed woman sitting with her hands in the lap of a flowing dress, her eyes – which are a particularly resounding and captivating feature of the painting – raised upwards, staring into the eyes of the viewer. There doesn’t appear to be any hidden meanings, symbolism, or metaphorical imagery. It’s minimalist and discreet. The aspect of the painting instantly enticing to my eye was the inimitable style. The elongated, sketched lines combined with the dull, diluted, simple hues emit an imperfect, smudged sensibility. This is not meant as a criticism, but rather a praise towards Schiele’s talents. The black-and-white stripes contrasted with the olive green of the cardigan, in addition to the sparse appearance of red on the woman’s cheeks and hands, add a colorful aesthetic to the otherwise subdued painting.

I believe Egon Schiele’s “Edith Schiele Seated” to be a statement on beauty. While the artist’s other paintings are far more sexual and erotic in nature, this work focuses on the natural, modest, truly gorgeous nature of the woman. She is not painted in any sort of objectified, voyeuristic manner, nor is she attractive to an idealistic, wish-fulfilling degree. It’s a shy, human, and realistic portrayal of beauty; one to be revered and cherished from a

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