Egon Schiele (1890-1918), Erwin Dominik Osen, Nude with Crossed Arms, 1910, The Leopold Museum, Vienna
Professor Peter Vergo, Emeritus Professor in Art History at Essex, has played a key role in developing a major exhibition of work by Egon Schiele, the Austrian Expressionist now seen as one of the most important artists of the 20th century.
Egon Schiele: The Radical Nude opened this week at the Courtauld Gallery in London and the hotly anticipated exhibition is already being hugely praised. The Guardian said the exhibition was "one of the most important exhibitions of the year" and Tatler told readers: "Do not miss this show - it is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
Alastair Sooke in The Daily Telegraph said: "Prescient of atrocities that would occur later in the century, Schiele’s drawings may not be beautiful but they are mesmerising to behold."
Professor Vergo was consultant to the exhibition working with Dr Barnaby Wright, Daniel Katz Curator of 20th Century Art, to connect with lending institutions and scholars around the world. He also co-authored the exhibition catalogue with Dr Wright and Dr Gemma Blackshaw.
Egon Schiele (1890-1918) Standing Nude with Stockings, 1914, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremburg
Professor Vergo said: “There is no major work by Schiele in any British public collection and there has never been a museum exhibition in this country devoted solely to his work.
“This should be an extraordinary eye-opener for the British public by raising awareness of an artist who is acknowledged worldwide as one of the outstanding masters of early twentieth-century art.”
Schiele, who died at the age of 28 in 1918, was a central figure in Austrian Expressionism. The exhibition brings together an outstanding group of the artist’s nudes to chart his influential approach during his short but urgent career.
Technical virtuosity, highly original vision and unflinching depictions of the naked figure distinguish these works by Schiele as being among his most significant contributions to the development of modern art.
The catalogue includes entries for each work being exhibited and Professor Vergo wrote the introductory essay ‘Egon Schiele: the Death Beneath the Skin’.
Professor Vergo said: “I hope people will see beyond the ‘explicit’ nature of many of his depictions of the nude figure and begin to appreciate the outstanding qualities of his draughtsmanship and his seemingly intuitive understanding of the expressive potential of the human body and the psychological depth of insight in dealing with ugly or disturbing subject-matter.”
Egon Schiele: The Radical Nude once again brings attention to the incredible creativity within Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century. Professor Vergo is a world authority on modern German and Austrian art and a revised and updated edition of his book Art in Vienna will be published by Phaidon Press in spring 2015 including a new introductory chapter. This will mark the 40th anniversary of the book, which has remained continuously in print for the past four decades.
• Professor Vergo will be one of the main contributors to a public study day at the Courtauld Institute of Art on Saturday 13 December.