Egon Schiele:
Redemption (Erlösung), 1913
Pencil, watercolor, and gouache on paper, mounted on cardboard
48 × 32 cm
©Albertina Museum, Vienna
(Kallir D1419)

In 1913, Egon Schiele created a remarkable group of symbolic figure drawings that moved beyond traditional portraiture. Works such as The Dancer (Kallir D1414), Standing Man (Kallir D1415), Devotion (Kallir D1418), and Redemption (Erlösung) (Kallir D1419) explore spiritual and philosophical themes through simplified figures suspended in an undefined space. Together, these works suggest Schiele’s growing interest in allegory and symbolic representation, using the human figure not simply to portray a person but to express an idea.

The Role of the Artist

Schiele frequently used his own features and body when creating symbolic works during this period. Standing before a mirror in his studio, he acted out poses that allowed him to explore different identities and ideas. The figure is generally interpreted as Saint Francis of Assisi at the moment he renounces worldly possessions and embraces a life of poverty. The large robe refers to the Franciscan habit, yet Schiele transformed it into something far more expressive than a simple garment.

The robe dominates almost the entire composition. The head, hands and feet emerge from its angular folds, while the body itself seems almost to disappear beneath the mass of colour and fabric. Although rooted in a religious subject, the drawing feels strikingly modern. Broad planes of colour and simplified forms create a powerful visual presence, while the figure appears to float within an undefined space.

This approach connects Redemption closely to Devotion (Andacht), created in the same year. In both works, Schiele moves beyond conventional portraiture in favour of figures suspended between the physical and the symbolic. Oversized robes dominate the compositions, and the titles written directly onto the sheets encourage viewers to look beyond outward appearance. If Devotion suggests contemplation and inward reflection, Redemption seems to evoke transformation, release and spiritual renewal.

The Meaning of the Inscription

The word ERLÖSUNG appears within a small rectangular frame in the lower right corner of the sheet. This detail is more significant than it might first appear. Schiele rarely gave his drawings explicit titles, making the inscription especially interesting. As in Devotion (Andacht), the title is written directly onto the paper, inviting the viewer to consider the figure as a symbol rather than a portrait.

The title also reflects Schiele’s intellectual interests during 1913. His notebooks reveal extensive reading, including Friedrich Nietzsche, Georg Trakl and Arthur Rimbaud. Several titles associated with this symbolic group of drawings have been linked to themes found in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Whether interpreted through a religious or philosophical lens, Redemption represents more than a single individual. It gives visual form to an idea.

These drawings were connected to a larger artistic ambition. Schiele envisioned monumental compositions known as Die Bekehrung (The Conversion) and Die Begegnung (The Encounter), populated by similarly robed figures. Although these projects remained unfinished, works such as The Dancer, Standing Man, Devotion and Redemption provide a glimpse into that broader vision.

Lines, Colour and Form

One of the most striking aspects of Redemption is the relationship between line and colour. The exposed head, hands and feet are built up with energetic pencil and coloured strokes that suggest volume and movement. The robe, however, functions almost as an independent structure, composed of broad geometric planes animated by passages of red, blue, green, ochre and brown.

Despite the subject’s association with renunciation, the drawing is anything but austere. Colour vibrates across the sheet, creating energy and movement within the composition. The figure is neither firmly grounded nor placed within a recognisable environment. Instead, it appears suspended in an undefined space, reinforcing the sense that Schiele was less interested in describing a physical person than in expressing an inner state.

More than a century later, Redemption (Erlösung) remains one of the clearest expressions of Schiele’s brief but fascinating exploration of symbolic figure imagery. Together with The Dancer, Standing Man and Devotion, it marks a moment when the artist moved beyond observation and portraiture, using the human figure to give form to ideas that continue to invite reflection today.