Adolf and Egon Schiele, c. 1893

Aged about three, Egon Schiele (1890–1918) is sitting on the lap of his father Adolf Schiele (1851–1905). The boy, who will later become one of the main representatives of Austrian Expressionism, is wearing a sailor’s suit with cap – a popular children’s outfit in the 19th century. Dressed elegantly in a hat, jacket and vest, the father is supporting his son with his left hand, while holding a walking cane and a cigar in his other hand; a broad ring is gleaming almost imperceptibly on his right index finger. Adolf Schiele, railway station master in Tulln, remained an important attachment figure for Egon and his sisters until his death on New Year’s Eve 1904/5. The photograph was created as a ferrotype and thus represents a unique specimen: This process to create instant images was used primarily at fairs and festivals.

SH, 2024