An unusual painting of a fishing boat by Egon Schiele (1890-1918) will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London next month.
Triestiner Fischerboot (Trieste fishing boat) is unique within Schiele’s oeuvre. It dates from 1912 when the artist visited the Italian port after being exiled from his Austrian home.
While the artist is best known for his figurative works, this 2ft 6in (75cm) square oil and pencil on canvas can be seen as representation of the loss of freedom after Schiele was arrested and placed on trial. He had found himself in a precarious position when a retired naval officer’s daughter asked for his help to run away and, although he returned the girl to her parents, he spent a brief period in prison.