Schiele and his time
40 masterpieces on display
edited by Rudolf Leopold and Franz Smola
Produced in collaboration with the Leopold Museum in Vienna - home of the world's largest collection of works by the great Austrian artist Egon Schiele (1890-1918) - promoted by the City of Milan, As-Councillor for Culture, co-produced and organized by the Royal Palace and Skira Editore, the exhibition which opens Feb. 24 at the Palazzo Reale in Milan, curated by Rudolf Leopold, artistic director of the Leopold Museum, and Franz Smola, curator of the Austrian Museum, has about 40 paintings and works on paper by Schiele, accompanied by as many masterpieces by Klimt, Kokoschka , Gerstl, Moser and various other protagonists of the early twentieth century Viennese culture. The exhibition reconstructs
around the figure of Egon Schiele, the cultural climate of Vienna in the early twentieth century, starting the founding of the Secession, crossing the expressionist trends for the next, until 1918, a year marked the end of World War I and the death-by Klimt and Schiele. A short but intense period, in which Vienna, mitteleu-European center of culture, becomes the scene of ruins of old Europe.
This is a rare opportunity to see, along with Schiele's greatest artworks, including Heavenly Berrima Kniender dress with orange-red (1910), The Dancer Moa (1911), Selfportrait with Physalis (1912), Houses with linen colored (O) (1914), Woman squatting with fou lard-Green (1914), Lying woman (1917), other masterpieces from Austria as a portrait bust naked on a blue background (1904-1905) by Richard Gerstl, Venus in the cave (1914) by Kolo Moser, Self-portrait with hand on face (1918-1919) Oskar Kokoschka, who first met in a project as ambitious, as complete and comprehensive.
Schiele was born in 1890 in Tulln, a small town near Vienna. At that time, the Habsburg capital is experiencing a tremendous growth and demographic and 'a thriving commercial and cultural center and strong appeal, refer-ence to the minds of most' lively Empire. The artistic climate and 'animated in those years by the collision of an AC power will mold and opposed by the emergence of innovative drive which, first of all, the Secession was founded in 1897, led by Gustav Klimt. It recognizes the role of art driving force, but also termination of the reality-and, as such, the redemptive power of the false morality of the dominant society. The angle a with-held symbolic, so 'as an abandonment of the perspective, the centrality of the human figure set in a flat space, are typical secessionist art, taken to extremes and expression.
At the time of the founding of the Secession, Schiele and 'only a child, although artistically gifted and an exhibition with a strong passion for drawing. More 'Later, a student of the Academy, his style seems to have already absorbs a lot of the innovations of the new current Art, especially the lesson of Klimt. But just a year after these reports appear to have been overcome.
In a very short period of time, in fact, in Austria, and most 'in Vienna, we are witnessing the develop-ment of counter-or expressionist tendencies on the part of young artist-dissidents-first among all Schiele, Kokoschka , Gerstl, belonging to the next generation to that of Klimt, Moll, Moser and other secessionists.
Everything 'happens in a significant historical juncture, that' while advancing the Habsburg Empire in its decline, challenged the foundations of a secular world. Not by chance, at this historical moment, while Freud published the Interpretation dreams, questioning the human fears and instincts, in Vienna strong creative forces demolish the solid principles of the major arts. If Schoenberg in music introduces the twelve-tone method, from a purely formal point of view, the constraint of the typical sharp line and adjust the Secession is superseded by a stretch of more 'free and unfettered - you look at the last Klimt - to become sign tormented young Schiele and Kokoschka.
SCHIELE and his time
This 'under the same label that unites young artists' rejection of tradition, the use of a primitive sign and primary, the anti-naturalistic use of color, the tendency to distort and reduction of forms to pure shapes (Particularly evident in Albin Egger-Lienz), a language-toric frantic pit and full-bodied, as Kolig Anton, whose works the chromatic backgrounds and spatial construction are typical of Fauvism and reminiscent of Cezanne, or even in works of Herbert Boeckl, pit-tion of the second expression, which summarizes the poetics of Schiele and Kokoschka with that Cézanne. From the point of view more 'concept, the attention of expression for the self-representation, on subjects drawn from private life and the autobiographical story comes from a strong individualism, loss of sense of belonging to a community and even an art movement.
Schiele, Kokoschka and as Gerstl, a spectacle of the physicality of the bodies, but the body is not 'nothing but the between-mild inward of the characters represented. So, not 'what the mere objective fact' on which the three artists investigate, but the introspection of the self, and thus the psychological burden of the expressions and gestures. The attraction for the physicality of Schiele began to become predominant since 1910, thanks to the association with artists of the same disciplines in which the body his instrument, as the mime Erwin van Osen and exotic dancer Moa. Like Freud, Schiele also delves into the human soul. Before him, no other artist had been so 'ruthless in portraying the drives more' intimate of their models.
Its composition lose-byzantine-Klimt, in favor of greater simplicity, the de-sign and 'more' nervous and immediate space vanishes, the views are bold and unusual postures, and awkward enough to sarticolate make their bodies mutilated and reduced to the anatomical parts. Also in the represen-tation of landscapes, topographical connotation Schiele waiver, rejecting the prospect, so much to reduce them to a juxtaposition of geometric shapes. Only the most 'Later, during the war, his style becomes significantly more' realistic, the figures become more three dimensional, but the investigation of the interior of the subject never fails.
Do not forget also that the biographical data of individual artists play a key role in their production. Just think of the personal affairs of Schiele. For the painful steps of his childhood as his father's death depression sufferer, joins a character from real borderline. The life she led with her lover Wally Neuzil (the woman with red hair and green eyes which is evident in many of his drawings), the experience of the prison after the accusation, and without evidence, of child abuse go hand in pace with the growth of its visibility in the art scene, in which he participates actively, exhibiting at major institutions in Vienna, Berlin, Dresden, Prague and Zurich. But his career-way-it cut short by premature death, aged just 28.
What makes this show a truly exceptional event, besides the beauty of the works, also contributes to the collaboration with the Leopold Museum in Vienna, whose collection of masterpieces (in part made available to the Italian public, thanks to the show Royal Palace) and 'witnessed a defining moment in history that has deeply marked the whole of European culture of the last century. In the exhibition, thanks to the rich photographic refunds and the presence of music in several rooms (by Johann Strauss II, Gustav Mahler, to Alban Berg), so visitors will have 'I can not understand this-the focal point of art modern, but very vital to look out on that stage it was the turn of the century Vienna.
The exhibition 'organized under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, and under the patronage of the Consulate General of Austria in Milan, in collaboration with the Austrian Cultural Forum in Milan, and with the support of the Corriere della Sera ; the technical sponsorship of IGP Decaux and Trimtec systems. The catalog, published by Skira, presents an essay on the art of Franz Smola between Austrian Expressionism and Art Nouveau, an introduction to the art of Schiele Rudolf Leopold, as well as reproductions and cards of all the works on display and the biographies of Schiele and other artists.
ITALIANO
Made in collaboration with the Leopold Museum in Vienna, sponsored by the City of Milan, Department of Culture, co-produced and organized by the Royal Palace and Skira Editore. Edited by Franz Smola, curator of the Austrian museum, the exhibition presents about 40 paintings and works on paper artist Egon Schiele, accompanied by as many masterpieces by Klimt, Kokoschka, Gerstl, Moser and various other actors of the early twentieth century Viennese culture. "Egon Schiele and the early twentieth century Vienna come alive in the halls of the Royal Palace with the largest exhibition sponsored by the City of Milan stands at the center of a season in Central Europe crossed by an intense cultural ferment and all the contradictions and conflicts that will World War I - said the Councillor for Culture Maximilian Finazzer Flory -. The goal is to return to the public the richness of an age and a unique symbolic city, Vienna, which in those years is the tormented destiny of the old continent.
"The exhibition reconstructs around the figure of Schiele, the cultural climate of Vienna in the early twentieth century, starting with the founding of the Secession, crossing the expressionist tendencies of the next generation, until 1918, the year marked the end of World War I and death Klimt and Schiele. A short but intense period when Vienna, the center of Central European culture, becomes the scene of ruins of old Europe. This is a rare opportunity to admire, along with over forty major works by Schiele exhibited, including the famous kneeling woman dressed in red, 1910, Moa, 1911, Self-portrait with Physalis 1912, houses with colorful laundry, 1914, Woman squatting with green scarf, 1914, Reclining Nude, 1917, other Austrian Expressionist masterpieces as Portrait of Henryk Cohn, 1908 Richard Gerstl, Venus in the cave in 1914 Koloman Moser, Self-portrait with one hand touching the cheek of 1918-1919 Oskar Kokoschka, who first met in a project as ambitious as complete and comprehensive. Schiele was born in 1890 in Tulln, a small town near Vienna.At that time, the Habsburg capital knows an extraordinary population growth and is a thriving commercial and cultural center and strong appeal, referring to the bright minds of the empire.
The artistic climate in those years is animated by the clash of currents of opposite mold and the establishment of innovative drive which, first of all, the Secession was founded in 1898, led by Gustav Klimt. It recognizes the role of art driving force, but also to denounce the reality and, as such, the redemptive power of the false morality of the dominant society. The inclination to symbolic content, as well as the abandonment of the perspective, the centrality of the human figure set in a flat space, are typical secessionist art, taken to extremes and expression. At the time of the founding of the Secession, Schiele was only a child, although artistically gifted and with a strong passion for design.
Later, a student of the Academy, his style seems to have absorbed much of the innovations of the new art movement, particularly the lesson of Klimt. But just a year after these reports appear to have been overcome.In a very short period of time, in fact, Austria, and more specifically in Vienna, we are witnessing the development of counter-or expressionist tendencies, by young artists "dissidents", first of all Schiele, Kokoschka, Gerstl, belonging to generation after Klimt, Moll, Moser and other secessionists. This all happens on a significant historical juncture, that while the Hapsburg Empire advances in its decline, bringing a world crisis by secular foundations. no coincidence that precisely this historical moment, as Freud wrote The Interpretation of Dreams, questioning the human fears and instincts, Vienna strong creative forces demolish the solid principles of the major arts. If in music Schoenberg introduces the twelve-tone method, in terms of purely formal The constraint of typical regular and clear line of secession, is superseded by a more free and loose - look at the last Klimt - to become the tormented young Schiele and Kokoschka.What unites under the same label young artists, is the rejection of tradition, the use of a sign primitive and elemental, the anti-naturalistic use of color, the tendency to distort and the reduction of forms to pure shapes (particularly evident in Albin Egger-Lienz), a pictorial language frantic and full-bodied, like Anton Kolig whose works, the chromatic backgrounds and spatial constructions are typical of Fauvism and reminiscent of Cezanne, or in the works of Herbert Boeckl, painter of the second expression, summarizes the poetics of Schiele and Kokoschka with that Cézanne.
From a conceptual point of view, the attention of expression for the self representation, the subjects drawn from private life and the autobiographical story comes from a strong individualism, loss of sense of belonging to a community and even an artistic movement. Schiele, Kokoschka and as Gerstl, spectacularized the physicality of bodies, but the body is merely the gateway to the interior of the characters represented.Thus, it is not the mere objective fact that upon which the three artists investigate, but then introspection and ego, the psychological burden of the expressions and gestures. The attraction of Schiele in physics starts to become predominant since 1910, thanks to the association with artists of disciplines that make your body the same instrument as the mime Erwin van Osen and exotic dancer Moa. Like Freud, Schiele also enters the human soul. Before him, no other artist had been so ruthless in portraying the deepest instincts of their models. Its composition loses the "Byzantine" by Klimt, in favor of greater simplicity, the design is more nervous and immediate space vanishes, the views are bold and unusual postures disjointed and ugly enough to make the bodies mutilated and reduced to the anatomical parts.
Even in the representation of landscapes, topographical connotation Schiele waiver, rejecting the prospect, so much to reduce them to a juxtaposition of geometric shapes.Only later, during the war, his style became significantly more realistic, the figures become more three dimensional, but the investigation of the interior of the subject never fails. Do not forget also that the biographical data of each artist plays a key role in their production. Just think about the personal affairs of Schiele. For the painful steps of his childhood as his father's death depression sufferer, joins a character from real borderline. The dissolute life led by her lover Wally Neuzil (woman with red hair and green eyes that stands out in many of his drawings), the experience of prison after accusations of child abuse go hand in hand with growth its visibility in the art scene, in which he participates actively exposing at major institutions in Vienna, Berlin, Dresden, Prague and Zurich. But his career was cut short by premature death, aged just 28 years.To make this exhibition a truly exceptional event, besides the beauty of the works, also contributes collaboration with the Leopold Museum in Vienna, whose collection of masterpieces (partly available to the Italian public, thanks to the exhibition at Palazzo Reale) is the trustee of a defining moment in history that has deeply marked the whole of European culture of the last century.
http://www.mostraschiele.it
