Although Egon Schiele died of the Spanish flu at the age of twenty-eight in 1918, he left behind a substantial, though controversial oeuvre, which makes him one of the leading Austrian Expressionists. Influenced at first by Gustav Klimt, Schiele soon developed a style of his own, abandoning decorative ornamentation in favor of a highly expressive style. His works relating to fundamental aspects of human life-eroticism, sexuality, and death-created a scandal in Vienna in the early years of the twentieth century, and the artist was denounced by critics and government authorities alike. In addition to his starkly realistic nudes, he also did profoundly sensitive portraits in which he explored the inner essence of his subjects. In this volume, Jane Kallir, author of numerous books on Egon Schiele, including the catalogue raisonné of his oeuvre, offers a fascinating survey of the artist's life and work featuring paintings, colored drawings, and photographs. The majority of the works presented here are from the outstanding collection of the Albertina in Vienna. (German edition ISBN 978-3-7757-1527-0) Exhibition schedule: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, March 25-June 19, 2005