Egon Schiele:
Portrait of Aga Callus, Prague (Bildnis der Aga Callus, Prag), 1910
Watercolor and black crayon
44.6 × 31.6 cm
© Albertina, Vienna
(Kallir d469)

Eva Freund (née Gallus), the sitter of this work, was an opera singer in early-twentieth-century Prague. Her features clearly interested the young Schiele, who created two portraits of her during his stay in the city. According to Jane Kallir, Schiele was a notoriously sloppy speller; he recorded her name incorrectly on this sheet as “Aga Callus,” a mistake that highlights his hurried working habits when responding to subjects who caught his attention.

In this sheet, Schiele combines his role as a draughtsman with that of a colourist. The black crayon provides the precise, sharp lines for Freund’s face, emphasizing her poised expression and modern presence. In contrast, the watercolor allows for a broader, more fluid treatment of her fashionable wide-brimmed hat. This technical combination allows the focus to shift naturally between the detailed likeness of her face and the bold shape of her clothing.

Although little is known about Eva Freund’s early operatic career in Prague, Schiele’s portraits avoid theatrical poses. Instead, he focuses on her quiet confidence and steady gaze. Her presence in his 1910 circle points to the broader social networks of performers, patrons, and cultured acquaintances that supported Schiele during this formative year of his early independence.

A closely related drawing from the same series, catalogued as Kallir d469a, shows how Schiele returned to Freund’s features with a different emphasis. While Kallir d469 relies on the strong visual contrast of the dark hat, the second drawing adopts a quieter rhythm, leaning more heavily on line to explore her character. Seen together, these works demonstrate how Schiele used encounters with a single sitter to practice the interplay between likeness, personality, and his materials.

Look here for the other drawing of Eva: https://schieleandklimt.com/2025/12/26/portrait-of-eva-freund-nee-gallus-1910-egon-schiele/