Dead Girl (Totes Mädchen) by Egon Schiele, 1910

ABOUT THIS PAINTING

Gertrude Schiele, Egon Schiele’s younger sister, poses sensually – her closed eyes and serene, in an expression reminiscent of Ophelia, the iconic painting by Sir John Everett Millais, made in the middle of the 19th century. But the woman in this painting isn’t dead or even sleeping: she is palpably alive, her hands laced in a conscious evocation of prayer above her chest. The composition encourages the eye into upward thrusts – from the curve of the bottom to her breast, to the line of her jaw to the tip of the nose. What’s more, the painting has been cropped close, so we only see a truncated cut of Gertude’s naked body. But it’s her hands, not her striking nudity, that are the focus of this artwork. In Schiele’s signature style, they are elongated, bony, green-tinged, and demand the viewer’s attention, over more overtly sexual aspects of her body, such as her breasts, jutting hips and pubic hair. Egon and his sister had a very intimate relationship, which can be seen in how relaxed she seems, posing in the nude in front of her artist brother. It’s this dynamic I explored through fiction in The Flames. – Sophie Haydock

Painted: 1910
Location: Harewood, England
Repository: Earl and Countess of Harewood and Trustees of Harewood House Trust
Artist: Egon Schiele
Original Format: Oil paint on canvas