Schiele, Egon

desperately asking him for help with the rent on his studio in the Grünbergstrasse, explaining that despite having moved out in May, he still owes interest on rent for May to July, and that the landlord is turning nasty, despite the fact that he left a large painting as a guarantee; he points out that he cannot possibly afford the necessary sum of 290 crowns, but could manage 10 or at the very most 20 per month, and asks Spitzer to telephone Dr Schlesinger about the matter

...weil ich noch von Mai-Juli den Zins meines Ateliers in der Grünbergstraße schuldig bin; nun ist die Sache deshalb unangenehm, weil ich schon anfangs Mai ausgezogen war und diesen Herrn "Hausherrn" ein Bild, ein grosses Bild als Pfand überliess, womit er einverstanden war...



1 page, small 4to (c.17 x 13cm), integral blank, [Neulengbach near Vienna], 31 October 1911; a few small tears in the text without loss

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"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 important letter affords a poignant insight into Schiele’s precarious financial and domestic circumstances, partly caused by his own actions. Schiele had had a studio at 31 Grünbergstrasse from early 1910.  But in May 1911, he eloped to Krumau with the 17-year old Wally Neuzil, only for the pair to be driven out of town by the inhabitants, outraged by his behaviour with Wally and by his use of the local girls as models. This letter was written in his new temporary home in Neulengbach, thirty kilometres west of Vienna.  Unfortunately, he soon outraged the locals there too and, imprisoned for seducing an under-age girl, his erotic drawings were confiscated.  His patron, Dr Alfred Spitzer was a lawyer who represented Schiele on occasion and who administered his estate after the artist’s early death. He owned eleven works by Schiele, and Schiele’s portrait of him is now in the Albertina gallery in Vienna.

Not in Nebehay and apparently unpublished: C.M. Nebehay, Egon Schiele, 1890-1918: Leben, Briefe, Gedichte (Salzburg, 1979)