Portrait of the Artist’s Wife, Edith Schiele before the Reworked Version, 1918

The present historical photograph shows the first version of the painting Portrait of the Artist’s Wife, Edith Schiele, created in 1917/18. Egon Schiele (1890–1918) presented this original portrait of his wife at the 49th Secession Exhibition, and the work was soon sold. It has as yet not been conclusively ascertained why the portrait was subsequently altered. Its buyer Franz Martin Haberditzl (1882–1944), an art historian and then director of the present-day Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, who was the first to acquire a painting by Schiele during the artist’s lifetime for an Austrian museum, is said to have initiated the reworking of the portrait. The skirt, originally boasting warm, colorful hues and a checkered pattern, was changed to a grayish blue and white, while the formerly orange pullover was invested with a cool blue shade. Moreover, the final version shows a bow on the now edged collar, as well as Edith Schiele’s shoes.

AKe, 2023