Egon Schiele

Serge Sabarsky, New York
Acquired from the estate of the above by the present owner in 2003

Vienna, Akademie der bildenden Künste, Egon Schiele, vom Schüler zum Meister: Zeichnungen und Aquarelle 1906-1918, 1984, no. 28, illustrated in the catalogue
Rome, Pinacoteca Capitolina, Egon Schiele, 1984, no. 56, illustrated in the catalogue
Charleroi, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Egon Schiele, 1987, no. 41, illustrated in the catalogue
Paris, Musée – Galerie de la Seita, Egon Schiele, Cent œuvres sur papier, 1992-93, no. 34, illustrated in colour in the catalogue

Christian M. Nebehay, Egon Schiele: Von der Skizze zum Bild, Vienna & Munich, 1989, no. 66
Jane Kallir, Egon Schiele: The Complete Works, London, 1998, no. 608, illustrated p. 417

Executed on brown wove paper, not laid down, hinged to the mount on the reverse of the top edges. The sheet has darkened over time and there are several artist's pinholes at the edges. There is a small paper loss in the bottom left corner, and the other corners have been made up. There are three supported tears on the left edge, two supported tears at the right edge and a complex supported tear towards the left edge, around the figure's shoulder. The right and lower edges of the sheet have been cut unevenly, and the sheet was rolled at some point, which has caused horizontal creasing and some tiny specks of pigment loss. There is a surface abrasion in the upper part of the figure's face. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although the paper has a slightly warmer tone, and the browns are overall lighter in the original.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This striking portrait of 1910 depicts the industrialist Carl Reininghaus who was one of the most important collectors of the Viennese avant-garde and a fervent supporter of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.  He had the foresight to acquire the now world-famous Beethoven Frieze, painted by Klimt in 1902, thus saving it from certain destruction at the close of the XIV Secession exhibition. Reininghaus belonged to a group of collectors and art critics (among them Oskar Reichel, Eduard Kosmack and Arthur Roessler) in Vienna who most strongly supported and influenced Schiele's work until his untimely death in 1918. He was a passionate advocate of the avant-garde and organised exhibitions where young, unknown artists could promote their work. For example, in 1914 he sponsored a competition at the Neukunstgruppe's Kunstsalon Pisko in Vienna for which Schiele painted the large oil Begegnung (Selbstbildnis mit der Figur eines Heiligen) (Kallir no. 259, whereabouts unknown, see fig. 1).

When Schiele completed the present work in 1910, he was essentially dependent upon his friends and a few patrons to promulgate his reputation as an artist. In order to ensure their continued favour, he often made sure to over-accentuate salient aspects of their personalities. These portraits attracted the attention of Schiele's audience, and he quickly obtained the patronage of some of the most important members of Viennese avant-garde society, such as Carl Reininghaus.