Editing Egon Schiele (section)

=== World War I ===
[[File:Schiele - Edith Schiele in gestreiftem Kleid sitzend - 1915.jpg|thumb|upright|Edith Schiele in a Striped Dress, Seated, 1915 [[Leopold Museum]]]]
In 1914, Schiele glimpsed the sisters Edith and Adéle Harms, who lived with their parents across the street from his studio in the Viennese district of Hietzing, 101 Hietzinger Hauptstraße. They were a [[middle-class]] family and [[Protestant]] by faith; their father was a master [[locksmith]]. In 1915, Schiele chose to marry the more socially acceptable Edith, but had apparently expected to continue his relationship with Wally. When he explained the situation to Wally, she left him immediately and never saw him again. This abandonment led him to paint ''[[Death and the Maiden (Schiele)|Death and the Maiden]]'', where Wally's portrait is based on a previous pairing, but Schiele's is newly struck. (In February 1915, Schiele wrote a note to his friend [[Arthur Roessler]] stating: "I intend to get married, advantageously. Not to Wally."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Азаренко |first=Наталья |date=2017-10-26 |title=Love story in pictures: Egon Schiele and Wally Neuzil |url=https://arthive.com/de/publications/2954~Love_story_in_pictures_Egon_Schiele_and_Wally_Neuzil |access-date=2024-07-01 |publisher=Arthive |language=DE}}</ref>) Despite some opposition from the Harms family, Schiele and Edith were married on 17 June 1915, the anniversary of the wedding of Schiele's parents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Family tree of Adolf Eugen SCHIELE |url=https://gw.geneanet.org/tinagaquer?lang=en&n=schiele&oc=0&p=adolf+eugen |access-date=2023-04-21 |publisher=Geneanet }}</ref>

[[File:Egon-schiele.jpg|thumb|upright|Photograph of Egon Schiele, 1910s]]
Although Schiele avoided conscription for almost a year, [[World War I]] now began to shape his life and work. Three days after his wedding, Schiele was ordered to report for active service in the army where he was initially stationed in [[Prague]]. Edith came with him and stayed in a hotel in the city, while Egon lived in an exhibition hall with his fellow conscripts. They were allowed by Schiele's commanding officer to see each other occasionally.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Life and Work of Egon Schiele, Austrian Expressionist Painter |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/egon-schiele-biography-4177835 |access-date=2023-04-21 |publisher=ThoughtCo }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lamb |first=Bill |date=31 December 2018 |title="Life and Work of Egon Schiele, Austrian Expressionist Painter" |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/egon-schiele-biography-4177835 |access-date=5 April 2023 |publisher=ThoughtCo}}</ref>

During the war, Schiele's paintings became larger and more detailed. His military service gave him limited time, and much of his output consisted of linear drawings of scenery and military officers. Around this time, Schiele also began experimenting with the themes of motherhood and family.{{sfn|Kallir|2003|pp=277, 362, 444}} His wife Edith was the model for most of his female figures, but during the war (due to circumstance) many of his sitters were male. From 1915, Schiele's female nudes became fuller in figure, and many were deliberately illustrated with a lifeless doll-like appearance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=DailyArt |title=Mother and Daughter by Egon Schiele via DailyArt mobile app |url=https://www.getdailyart.com/en/19460/egon-schiele/mother-and-daughter |access-date=2024-07-01 |publisher=getdailyart.com }}</ref>

Despite his military service, Schiele was still exhibiting in Berlin. He also had successful shows in [[Zürich]], [[Prague]], and [[Dresden]]. His first duties consisted of guarding and escorting Russian prisoners. Because of his weak heart and his excellent handwriting, Schiele was eventually given a job as a clerk in a POW camp near the town of Mühling. There, he was allowed to draw and paint imprisoned Russian officers; his commander, Karl Moser (who assumed that Schiele was a painter and decorator when he first met him), even gave him a disused store room to use as a studio. Since Schiele was in charge of the food stores in the camp, he and Edith could enjoy food beyond rations.{{sfn|Whitford|1981|pp=164–168}}

[[File:Secession. 49 Ausstellung... Egon Schiele 1918.jpg|thumb|left|upright|1918 poster Vienna Secession]]
Schiele did everything he could to get out of military service. In January 1917 he was transferred to a military supply depot in [[Vienna]] and given no particular responsibilities. He was again able to focus on his artistic career and his output was prolific. His work reflected the maturity of an artist in full command of his talents.<ref>{{Cite web |author1= Nina Siegal |date=26 March 2025 |title=When the Wild Child Egon Schiele Grew Up |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/arts/design/egon-schiele-last-years-leopold-museum.html |access-date=5 April 2025 |publisher=New York Times}}</ref> Schiele was invited to participate in the 49th [[Vienna Secession]] exhibition held in 1918. Schiele had fifty works accepted for this exhibition, and they were displayed in the main hall. He also designed a poster for the exhibition. The composition was reminiscent of the [[Last Supper]], with a portrait of himself in the place of [[Christ]]. The show was a triumphant success. As a result, prices for Schiele's drawings increased and he received many portrait commissions.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Dabrowski |first1=Magdalena |last2=Leopold |first2=Rudolf |date=1997 |title="Egon Schiele : The Leopold Collection Vienna" |url=https://www.moma.org/documents/moma_catalogue_264_300063176.pdf |access-date=11 April 2023 |publisher=Museum of Modern Art}}</ref>