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Egon Schiele - Portrait of an Artist
"I paint the light that emanates from all bodies. Even erotic artwork has its own sacredness! I will go so far that one will be awed by the grandeur of each of my 'living' works." These are the words of Egon Schiele, written in a letter to Leopold Czihaczek on September 1, 1911. Schiele, today, can be considered an iconic artist, known worldwide as a leading exponent of early Viennese Expressionism. His drawing was revolutionary: synthetic, angular, and possessed a dramatic intensity perhaps never seen before. He chose taboo subjects, as Rodin had done years earlier, but with a different intention. With Schiele, the use of space changed: a new juxtaposition between figure and background began, a decentralization of the subject, a reversal of full and empty space. His linework can at times appear almost caricatural, with its anatomical extremes, and he addresses themes of carnality that, though existing before, had rarely been so central to a painter's artistic work. Rivers of ink have been spilled on his life, analyzing his works, his existence, and the difficulties he faced. Books and films have mystified the artist, often focusing on specific moments in his career, other times deliberately omitting them, always striving to create an image that fits the chosen narrative. It's one thing to read interpretations and analyses of his works, another to listen to him firsthand. Born in 1890 and died in 1918, Schiele's life was short and intense, and the volume Portrait of an Artist allows us to accompany him for a while and discover his life through his eyes. It's not a biography, but a volume that includes the artist's letters, his poems, and his Neulengbach diary. In his letters, he recounts his relationship with his family, the early loss of his father, his bond with his sister, his difficult relationship with the Academy, but also the friendships he formed with artists and collectors. In the texts he wrote in Neulengbach, we can read about one of the most turbulent moments of his life: the artist was accused of showing erotic drawings to minors, facing charges of kidnapping and violence; in the texts written in prison he presents his point of view on what happened. Schiele could never truly feel at peace: he also experienced the outbreak of war and the fears of military service. His life remained tormented until the end: in 1918, his wife, six months pregnant, contracted the Spanish flu, and the couple died three days apart. We see how, despite the difficulties, the artist continued to believe in himself and his art, convinced that his works would one day be exhibited in the temples of art and that even a single "living" work of art was enough to ensure his immortality. Even on his deathbed, he declared that his paintings should be exhibited in every museum in the world. It is fascinating to be able to draw on the artist's firsthand accounts and bring him from a mystical aura to a real-life context, making him "human." Economic issues and the precariousness of the artistic profession, family and social relationships, the confrontation with popular customs and traditions, and even love become central themes, in a context that remains extraordinarily relevant even today. For those interested in a short and accessible read that recounts the painter's life in its key moments, we also recommend Egon Schiele. The Struggling Body . In this comic book, Otto Gabos creates illustrations that accompany the biographical narrative with extraordinary drawings that adopt the Austrian painter's style.
If Love Looks. A Sentimental Education on Cultural Heritage. - Tomaso Montanari
Reading Tomaso Montanari means accepting that cultural heritage is not a neutral topic, nor abstract knowledge. In Se amore guarda, the author intertwines art history, politics, and civic consciousness, restoring cultural heritage to its deepest essence: that of a common good, a living experience, and an instrument of freedom. A book that teaches us not only to look to the past, but to live in the present—with greater responsibility and, perhaps, more humanity.