Zirkusgasse No. 47, Residence of Leopold and Marie Czihaczek, undated

Adolf Eugen Schiele (1850–1904), father of Egon Schiele, died of syphilis on New Year’s Eve 1904/05. He was survived by his wife Marie Schiele (1962–1935) and their children Melanie (1886–1974), Gertrude (1894–1981) and Egon (1890–1918). At the request of their mother, their wealthy uncle Leopold Czihaczek (1842–1929) became the guardian of Egon and Gertrude Schiele. He also fostered young Schiele’s ambitions to become a painter, supporting him financially and thus enabling him to attend the Vienna Academy from the age of 16 and to move into his first own studio near the Vienna Prater one year later, in 1907. Schiele created several portraits of his uncle during this time, including Leopold Czihaczek at the Piano, which was created at Czihaczek’s apartment at Zirkusgasse 47, where Schiele spent much time early in his studies. The house is no longer existent. When the painter left the Academy prematurely and co-founded the Wiener Neukunstgruppe, his relations with his uncle deteriorated. Eventually, his uncle resigned as his guardian because of Schiele’s “bohemian attitudes”.

AKe, 2023