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Self Portrait in Crouching Position
Self Portrait in Crouching Position
Self Portrait in Crouching Position
Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet

Self Portrait in Crouching Position

Artist (Österrike, 1890 - 1918)
Alternate Title
  • Studie av naken yngling (självporträtt)
Date1913
MediumPencil and gouache on paper
DimensionsBildmått: 32,3 × 47,5 cm Passepartout: 50 × 65 cm
ClassificationDrawings
Credit LineDonation 1952 from Thorsten Laurin through The Friends of Nationalmuseum
Countries
On view
Stockholm
Object NumberNMH 93/1952
About the artworkDuring the Modernist period, the self-portrait reflected contemporary notions of the male artist as a tortured genius. It became a central genre, a channel for exploring personal identity and existential questions. Art historians have criticised the romanticisation of the male artist’s inner struggle, as it renders women invisible and reinforces gender stereotypes. Schiele’s contorted body and intense gaze are part of this tradition, presenting the artist as both subject and narrator. Yet Schiele’s self-portrait both aligns with and challenges the myth. It reflects his life story, marked by trauma, alienation, and moral censorship. His works merge life and art into a powerful representation of the era.
Signatures, inscriptions and marks I blyerts: EGON SCHIELE 1913 Selected exhibition history Några expressionister (2000-2001) Moderna Museet, Stockholm