Egon Schiele:
Gertrude Schiele before 1909 (II)
Photograph
13.9 × 8.9 cm
© Leopold Museum, Vienna

Based on curatorial notes from the Leopold Museum

After the first photograph from this early series received such thoughtful attention, it felt right to share another — and full credit goes to the Leopold Museum, whose careful stewardship ensures that photographs like this are preserved for posterity.

This early photograph of Gertrude “Gerti” Schiele (1894–1981) belongs to the small group of images that preserve the atmosphere of Egon Schiele’s family life before his artistic identity fully emerged. Taken before 1909, it shows Gerti in quiet profile, her head inclined slightly downward, the gaze softened into a moment of inward reflection. Where the frontal variant meets the viewer directly, this version turns gently away, offering a more private register — a young woman caught in a pause rather than a pose.

Her hairstyle forms a sculptural silhouette: the swept‑up hair held by a decorative band, the small leaf‑and‑berry ornaments gathered at the back, and the round clasp on the right side glinting subtly along the contour. Seen from this angle, the arrangement feels almost architectural, its rhythm echoed in the embroidered detailing at her neckline. These elements reappear in Egon Schiele’s early drawings and culminate in the 1909 Portrait of Gerti Schiele, now in the Museum of Modern Art, where the same clasp becomes part of his visual language. The photograph and the painting share a quiet continuity, each revealing how closely Gerti’s presence shaped his early sense of form.

The soft, diffused light and blurred background suggest a studio setting, yet the mood is unmistakably intimate. Nothing feels forced or overly arranged; instead, Gerti seems to inhabit the moment with a natural, unguarded grace. The photograph captures her at the threshold between adolescence and adulthood, poised yet contemplative, and it hints at the trust that underpinned many of Schiele’s earliest portraits.

One version of this image was printed as a postcard, intended to be sent — a gesture that blurs the line between personal keepsake and outward presentation. Whether it ever travelled is unknown, but the possibility adds another layer to the photograph: Gerti as both sister and subject, both private figure and bearer of the family’s image.

Gerti lived far beyond her brother’s short life, passing away in 1981, and she now rests in Ober St. Veit Cemetery, Vienna, the same cemetery as Egon, buried together with her husband, the painter Anton Peschka, and their two children, Anton Jr. and Gerti Jr. Her recollections later became part of the foundation for understanding Schiele’s early years. Photographs like this one preserve not only her likeness but also the quiet world from which his art first grew — a world of careful dress, small rituals, and the subtle negotiations of youth. The Leopold Museum’s curatorial notes anchor this image within that early context, allowing it to stand as a gentle, essential fragment of the story.

For the other photo of the same series have a look here: https://schieleandklimt.com/2025/10/24/gertrude-schiele-before-1909-photo/