Egon, Elvira and Melanie Schiele, 1891

Vienna’s court photographer Ludwig Grillich (1856–1926), who had a studio in the 18th District of Vienna, was famous for his photographic portraits of illustrious Viennese personalities in their private, sometimes lavishly decorated interiors. He for instance portrayed the actress Charlotte Wolter (1834–1897), the composers Johann Strauss (1825–1899) and Anton Bruckner (1824–1896), the architect Carl von Hasenauer (1833–1894) as well as Bertha von Suttner (1843–1914), who would later be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1891, he photographed the siblings Egon (1890–1918), Elvira (1883–1893) and Melanie (1886–1974) Schiele. Egon, one year old at the time, is seated on an object meant to imitate rock, holding the left hand of his sister Elvira, who is probably in charge of keeping him still and making sure he does not fall. She is wearing an almost imperceptible smile on her face, while 5-year-old Melanie is gazing into the camera with a serious expression. The individual photographic portrait of young Egon Schiele as a Child seated in a chair is thought to have been created during the same session; another picture of the three siblings Elvira, Melanie and Egon Schiele was presumably taken at a later date.

KJ, 2023