Melanie, Egon and Elvira Schiele, c. 1892

The famous court photographer Ludwig Grillich (1856–1926) created numerous portraits of Viennese personalities during his career. In this photograph, he captured the siblings Melanie (1886–1974), Egon (1890–1918) and Elvira Schiele (1883–1893). It was likely taken at Grillich’s studio, situated in Vienna’s 18th district. The Schiele siblings were placed into the setting of what appears to be a stone balustrade with a flower pot. It shows the two-year-old Egon sitting on the balustrade, holding the hand of his older sister Elvira, with Melanie leaning against the balustrade to his left. The photograph was taken in 1892. Barely a year later, Elvira died at the age of ten from encephalitis. A similar photograph of the three siblings was taken already in 1891, also at the studio of Ludwig Grillich: Egon, Elvira and Melanie Schiele.

LVD, 2024