Page from a Sketchbook with Figure Studies for the Left Part of the Painting “Conversion II”, now preserved only in fragments, 1913, undated

These figure studies were created for Egon Schiele’s (1890–1918) painting ”Conversion” II, of which only fragments are preserved today. One of these fragments is the 1913 Rear View of a Female Semi-Nude with Cloth, which resembles the standing figure seen here to the right. Sized 200 x 300 cm, “Conversion” II was the largest painting ever begun by Schiele – the two sketches show only the first three figures from the left out of a total of twelve life-sized figures. The correspondence of the artist reveals that he had soon found a prospective buyer for the still unfinished painting in the industrialist Carl Reininghaus (1857–1929). In a Letter Dated 21st Jun. 1913, he even offered to let Reininghaus work with him on the painting. It seems, however, that Schiele eventually stopped working on the painting and it remained unfinished.

SH, 2024