Seated Woman in Chemise by Egon Schiele

Seated Woman in Chemise

Egon Schiele · 1914

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“Stop to observe the direct, almost unsettling gaze of this seated woman. Her twisted pose and the stark lines of the drawing offer a glimpse into the raw emotional intensity characteristic of Expressionism.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

A woman sits, her body slightly twisted, gazing directly out at us from this graphite drawing. She wears a chemise, a simple undergarment, which slips off one shoulder, revealing the curve of her collarbone and breast. Her hands are clasped loosely in her lap, and her posture, while direct, also conveys a sense of vulnerability. The artist, Egon Schiele, was part of the Expressionist movement, a style that prioritized emotional impact over objective reality. Here, the stark lines and minimal detail emphasize the figure's inner state rather than a literal depiction. The raw intensity of her gaze and the almost angular quality of her form are hallmarks of this period, drawing the viewer into a psychological encounter rather than a mere observation.

DETAILS
Artist
Egon Schiele
Date
1914
Medium
Graphite on paper
Location
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dimensions
18 × 12 1/4 in. (45.7 × 31.1 cm)
Collection
Modern and Contemporary Art
Credit line
Bequest of Scofield Thayer, 1982
ART MOVEMENTS
LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Seated Woman in Chemise
01

The way the chemise slips off her left shoulder, exposing skin.

02

Her hands, clasped loosely, resting in her lap.

03

The intense, direct gaze from her eyes.

04

The angular quality of her elbows and knees.

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THE ARTIST

Egon Schiele

1890–1918 · Cisleithania

Egon Schiele, an Austrian Expressionist, captured raw human emotion and twisted forms, often in stark self-portraits.

Read Schiele’s full story
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EXPLORE THE MOVEMENT

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More works to explore

Beyond Schiele and Expressionism: works from the same years, and from the other movements Seated Woman in Chemise belongs to.

Maude Adams (1872–1953) as Joan of Arc Same movement · Vienna Secession Maude Adams (1872–1953) as Joan of Arc Alphonse Mucha · 1909 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray Same era · 1890s–1920s Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray Piet Mondrian · 1921 · Art Institute of Chicago Frauenkopf vor Sonnenblumen Same movement · Die Brucke Frauenkopf vor Sonnenblumen Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1906 · Museum Frieder Burda Street Scene (Friedrichstraße Berlin) Same era · 1890s–1920s Street Scene (Friedrichstraße Berlin) Ernst Ludwig Kirchner · 1914 · Staatsgalerie Stuttgart Still Life with Crayfish Same movement · Der Blaue Reiter Still Life with Crayfish Mikhail Larionov · 1900 · Museum Ludwig Bull's Head Same era · 1890s–1920s Bull's Head Mikhail Larionov · 1913 · Tretyakov Gallery Portrait of a Lady in a High Hat Same movement · Jugendstil Portrait of a Lady in a High Hat Gustav Klimt · 1882 · Art Institute of Chicago Memories of the Past Same era · 1890s–1920s Memories of the Past Ivan Puni · 1927 · Art Institute of Chicago
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