Artwork
Sorrow (Kümmernis)
Sorrow (Kümmernis) is an ink print by Egon Schiele. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1914, *Sorrow (Kümmernis)* is a drypoint print executed in a dark green ink on laid paper. The work presents a solitary, cloaked figure seated on the ground, head bowed and arms drawn tightly to the torso. Rough, uneven lines give the image a scratched appearance, emphasizing a sense of immediacy and emotional weight.
Subject & Meaning
The figure appears enveloped in a heavy mantle, its posture suggesting cold, pain, or profound melancholy. The face is largely concealed, directing attention to the body’s tension and the inward turn of the head. This composition conveys an intimate portrayal of sorrow, reflecting Schiele’s recurring interest in psychological distress and bodily fragility.
Technique & Style
Schiele employed drypoint, incising the design directly into the paper’s surface and using a dark green, scratchy ink that leaves a raw, textured line. The uneven, almost scratched strokes are characteristic of his expressive line work, while the contorted anatomy aligns with the Expressionist emphasis on distortion to convey inner states.
Context
At the time of its creation, Schiele was a leading figure in Austrian Expressionism, a movement he helped shape after studying under Gustav Klimt. The print mirrors the broader early‑20th‑century Austrian focus on emotional intensity, where artists explored psychological depth through exaggerated forms and stark, unrefined lines.
Legacy
*Sorrow (Kümmernis)* illustrates the themes that dominate Schiele’s oeuvre—psychological tension, physical distortion, and raw emotional expression. As a representative example of his printmaking, the work contributes to understanding his influence on later modernist artists who pursued similar explorations of inner turmoil through stark, gestural techniques.
Artist & collection
Artist
Egon Leo Adolf Ludwig Schiele (German: ; 12 June 1890 – 31 October 1918) was an Austrian Expressionist painter.
