Eva & Otto Freund, Prague (acquired from the artist)
Thence by descent to the present owner

Executed on buff colour wove paper, not laid down, floating in the mount. The sheet might have been cut down at some point and is time stained. There is a tiny spot of supported paper loss on the man's cheek. Apart from several horizontal flattened creases, visible in the catalogue illustration, and a small repaired tear on the extreme lower edge, this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although the charcoal is slightly stronger 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."

ꦺThe subject of this striking portrait is Otto Freund, who was a director of the National Bank in Prague. According to family history, during a trip to Vienna he was approached by Schiele, who was fascinated by his appearance and asked Freund to sit for him. Alongside the present work, the artist also executed two watercolour portraits of Freund in 1910 (fig. 1), however the sitter had not previously been identified. The present work was given by Schiele to the sitter, and has remained in his family until now. Around the same time Schiele executed several watercolour portraits of Otto Freund's wife, Eva Gallus (see lot 16).

 

Th𝕴is magnificent drawing probably dates from 1910, the year regarded as a major turning-point for Schiele's art, when he executed his first ground-breaking Expressionist works. After leaving the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts in 1909, he began to develop his own distinct style and gradually turned away from the influence of his mentor, Gustav Klimt. Schiele's fine draughtsmanship had long been praised and admired while he was a student working with the young artists in Neukunstgruppe, but now, as he emerged as an individual artist with supreme creative talent, his drawings became more pronouncedly daring in their subjects and their execution. 

 

 

Fig. 1, Egon Schiele, Porträt eines Herren, 1910, waterc🌺olour and charcoalꦿ on paper, Private Collection