Wally Neuzil in the Garden of Hotel am Stein, Traunkirchen, Jul. 1913

This portrait-format photograph shows Wally Neuzil (1894–1917), who was the model (see Kneeling Woman with a Gray Cape (Wally Neuzil)) and partner of Egon Schiele (1890–1918), in the garden of Hotel am Stein in Traunkirchen, where the couple spent a few days in July 1913 with the Roessler family. The photograph hails from the photo album of the art writer and critic Arthur Roessler (1877–1955), who, ever since their first encounter in late 1909, acted as Schiele’s patron, collector and for some time also as his agent. The photographs were taken as private souvenirs, with Schiele’s partner featuring only in two shots, likely also because Roessler did not pay as much attention to her. In the present portrait, the then 18-year-old, her hands buried in the pockets of her jacket, is looking rather timidly into the camera. In a postcard to Schiele, Roessler once referred to Neuzil as Schiele’s “shadow” – an expression used perhaps as an allusion to their “illicit” relationship, or to illustrate the young couple’s closeness. While there are not many extant documents on Neuzil, she occupied an important role in Schiele’s life and oeuvre.

LScr, 2024