Egon Schiele recognises vulnerability

I am unsure why this exhibition of Egon Schiele's drawings at the Courtald Gallery is titled The Radical Nude, except that Victorian attitudes of nudity must still be present in English society. The power of these skilful drawings for me was in their sensitivity and honesty. The crisp and delicate lines reflected hidden muscles so faithfully and delicate pastel colours reflected unusual skin tones. In all, there was a deep respect for his models, including himself and his family. I did not succomb to the predominant propoganda message of ugly, gaunt, perverse street life. Instead I came away with a small cameo of an artist wanting to share his personal life at the turn of the century in Vienna. Yes, he was working with other great artists like Gustav Klimt and Oskar Kokoshka, who were also keen to break with tradition. But personally, I am sorry about his early death, three days after that of his wife, during the influenza epidemic of 1918. I wonder what he could have achieved had he lived a longer life?