Bildnis Dr. Franz Martin Haberditzl

About this artwork

Egon Schiele's *Bildnis Dr. Franz Martin Haberditzl* (1917) is a striking oil-on-canvas portrait measuring 140 × 110 cm, now housed in Vienna's Belvedere Collection. The subject, Prof. Dr. Franz Martin Haberditzl (1882–1944), served as director of the Österreichische Galerie from 1915 to 1938, playing a pivotal role in promoting modern Austrian art during a turbulent era marked by World War I. Painted in Schiele's signature Expressionist style, the work captures Haberditzl's intense gaze and angular features with raw psychological depth. Unlike the fluid elegance of his mentor Gustav Klimt, Schiele employs distorted proportions, sharp contours, and a stark color palette—dominated by earthy tones and bold whites—to convey inner turmoil and intellectual vigor. This large-scale canvas highlights Schiele's mastery of oil, allowing for textured layering that amplifies emotional tension, a departure from his more common use of watercolor and gouache. As a portrait of a key cultural figure who championed Secessionist artists like Schiele, the painting bridges personal likeness with broader historical significance, reflecting Vienna's vibrant yet fraught avant-garde scene amid wartime upheaval. A testament to mutual respect between artist and patron, it invites viewers to ponder the human spirit's resilience.