Egon Schiele - Nude with red garters

Title: Nude with red garters (Akt mit roten Strumpfbändern)
Artist: Egon Schiele (1890-1918)
Date: 1911
Medium: Gouache, watercolor and pencil on paper
Dimensions: 142 x 95 cm

Egon Schiele's "Nude with Red Garters" ("Akt mit roten Strumpfbander" in German) presents a woman from the knees upward, her arms omitted. The dominant rose tones of her body capture attention, particularly her captivating facial expression, which engages the viewer with a penetrating gaze. The stark contrast between her dark, abundant hair and the halo-like wash of light around her head creates a dramatic visual impact. This light accentuation also intensifies the vibrant flashes of red coursing through Schiele's portrayal of her figure, evoking a palpable sensation of flesh, blood, and warmth.

The absence of limbs and the contrast between the pale skin, the pink tones of the nipples and the mouth and the dark pubic hair brings an intense focus on sexuality.

Schiele's use of color is further heightened by the sinuous brown-red outlines enveloping the subject's body and polychromatic fabric upon which she reclines, adding layers of complexity to the composition.