Letter from Egon Schiele to Anton Peschka, 30th May 1917

Transcription:

30th May 1917.

Dear A.P. [Anton Peschka] – excuse me for not having written for a long time; – I had a lot of work, because I was entrusted with the compilation of the “Bund Österreicherr. Künstler” [Group of Austrian Artists] and I had to be in the war exhibition almost every day, because we got assigned a hall there. - Besides that, the difficulty to bring together pictures by [Albert Paris] Gütersloh, [Anton] Faistauer, [Felix Albrecht] Harta, [Anton] Kolig, [Hans] Eder, [Ludwig Heinrich] Jungnickel and
[Arhtur] Rudolph, as all are no war painters and the pictures had to have at least a distant connection with the war. – I bought back my “Resurrection” from the gallery Hauer and 20 drawings are on display there under the designation “Heroes’ Tombs - Resurrection” fragment for a mausoleum. – In the next days, I will send 8 large pictures and 10 drawings to the Munich Secession, this year at the Glaspalast, I have a lot of work to do for it and unfortunately I’m not ready yet. – I assume that you are fine, apart from the monotony. I don’t think the war will be over this year – have you followed the Adler trial closely – the most interesting thing since the war started! – Should peace come in fall due to a happy twist I intend to go to Ragusa as soon as possible and to stay there for 6 months to relax and work. – This way, I could get through the winter. – I suggest that you forget about becoming a teacher for the time being. – Everyone degenerates. – It’ll be decidedly harder to be an artist. – Save if you can 1,200-1,500 K [crowns] until the end of the war and travel with me to Ragusa then – work there – like you started in Krummau in the first year and then exhibit a collection, the rest I will do for you, – art dealers, buyers, etc. The cost of living is said to be low in Ragusa, and then you don’t need to spend as much in the country as you do in the city. Some friends also want to go to Ragusa. – We won’t be alone. – Start drawing in the trenches, once you have 50 sheets, I could get you an exhibition at Arnot, and I am convinced that the Heeresmuseum [Army Museum] would buy works, as it does from [Arthur] Stadler. – Write soon! Draw on paper of the same size – shall I send you material? – If someone goes to Vienna on leave, they could take it with them.

Best regards
EGON
SCHIELE
1917