Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele in Conversation
Recorded: May 31, 2026, 12:01 a.m.
| Original | Summarized |
Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele in Conversation
Advertisement The Paris Review Subscribe Sign In Remember me Forgot password? Sign In Subscribe The Daily The Latest The Quarterly Issues Authors About History Events Donate Donate to The Paris Review Institutional Support Newsletters The Paris Review The Daily The Latest The Quarterly Issues Authors About History Events Donate Donate to The Paris Review Institutional Support Newsletters Sign In Remember me Forgot password? Sign In Subscribe Sign In Remember Me Forgot password? Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele in Conversation By Katie Hanson Left: detail from Two Studies for a Skeleton by Gustave Klimt; Right: detail from The Pacer by Egon Schiele For all their mutual respect, the two artists produced work that differs decidedly in appearance and effect. Klimt’s drawings are often delicate, while Schiele’s are regularly bold. Klimt’s drawings were typically preparatory for a painting, whereas Schiele considered his own as finished, independent pictures and routinely sold them. Schiele’s drawings often employ intense watercolors of varying degrees of opaqueness that heighten the impact of the forms, while Klimt worked mostly in monochrome and line. And yet, despite these disparities, their works are related in ways that highlight what makes both artists’ drawings rewarding and challenging to contemplate. Katie Hanson is an assistant curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. From Klimt and Schiele: Drawings, by Katie Hanson. (c) 2018 by Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Last / Next Article Last / Next Article You Might Also Like Love in a Fallen City: Shanghai’s Marriage Market Ode to the Kitchen Bath The Twenty-Year Novel: Harriet Clark on The Hill Building an AI Data Center in Pine Island, Minnesota Columns Home Improvements Overheard Diaries The Review’s Review Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe ©2026 The Paris Review. All rights reserved Privacy Policy |
The centenary of the deaths of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele in 2018 brought attention to the enduring immediacy, energy, and sense of searching present in their drawings. These artists, despite their differing approaches, shared a mutual respect for each other's artistic skill. When Schiele inquired about Klimt’s talent, Klimt responded with a demurral, stating, “Talented? Much too much.” This dynamic was further illustrated when Schiele offered a trade of drawings, prompting Klimt to reply, “Why do you want to exchange with me? You draw better than I do.” Following Klimt’s passing, Schiele reflected on his mentor, describing him as “an unbelievably accomplished artist—a man of rare depth—his work a sanctuary.” While their mutual regard was evident, the artistic output of Klimt and Schiele presented marked differences in appearance and effect. Klimt’s drawings tended toward delicacy, often serving as preparatory work for paintings and utilizing monochrome and line. In contrast, Schiele’s drawings were typically bold, and he viewed his own works as finished, independent pictures, often selling them directly. Stylistically, Klimt worked mostly in monochrome, whereas Schiele frequently employed intense watercolors of varying opaqueness to intensify the forms in his work. Nevertheless, despite these stylistic disparities, the works of both artists remain connected in how they invite contemplation regarding the rewarding and challenging aspects inherent in drawing. |