By the spring of 1912, Egon Schiele was tired. He and his lover, the model Wally Neuzil, had been moving from town to town in search of freedom and a better life. But their bohemian lifestyle drew ire from local residents and he soon found himself imprisoned. Recently released, Schiele sought the respite of a familiar place, so he journeyed to the seaside town of Trieste. In this episode of Expert Voices, Helena Newman, Sotheby’s Worldwide Head of Impressionist and Modern Art, introduces Schiele’s masterpiece Trieste Fishing Boat. This striking work pushes the boundaries of form, color, and texture all within the intimate parameters of a square format oil. Schiele transforms the image of a simple fishing boat into a pictorial marvel, using flat patches of pigment to build a mosaic-like composition. Trieste Fishing Boat comes to auction for the first time as a highlight of Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale. (26 February|London)
Escape and Experimentation in Egon Schiele’s 'Trieste Fishing Boat'
London | 26 February
