(Tulln 1890–1918 Vienna)
Sich entkleidende Frau (Woman Undressing), signed, dated
Egon Schiele 1917, verso in the lower right corner ownership stamp: Obermedizinrat Dr. H. RIEGER, Wien VII, Mariahilfer-strasse 124, black chalk on paper, 46.2 x 29.5 cm, framed

Jane Kallir, Egon Schiele. The Complete Works, London 1998, p. 576,
no. 1942 with ill. – there the size 45 x 28 cm

Provenance:
Dr. Heinrich Rieger (1868–1942) Collection, Vienna
Rolf Stenersen (1899–1978) Collection, Oslo (inscription on the reverse)
Sotheby’s London, 16 April 1975, sale Vincennes, lot 100
Dino Righi (c. 1925–2000) Collection, Carpi (label on the reverse)
Galleria Gian Ferrari, Milan (certificate available)
European Private Collection

This lot is sold pursuant to a settlement agreement between the current owner and the heirs of Dr. Heinrich Rieger.

Exhibited and published:
Il disegno nelle raccolte private modenesi, Galleria Civica di Modena, Palazzina dei Giardini, 19 December 1993 – 27 February 1994, exhibition catalogue, p. 109 with ill.

The largest private collections of Schiele’s works during his lifetime were owned by Heinrich Benesch, Dr. Oskar Reichel and Dr. Heinrich Rieger.

The esteem that Klimt held for Schiele, even at a time when the young painter was still struggling hard for recognition, is characterised by the following events: coming back from the “Meierei Tivoli,” a café where Klimt went for breakfast every day for twenty years, he once stopped to visit Schiele in his studio at the time, on Grünbergstraße near Schönbrunn...
Years later, when Schiele, in his perpetual idolisation and ever-intensifying affection, felt a fervent desire to own one or, if possible, several Klimt drawings, he pleaded with Klimt that they exchange work. Naively, he suggested that he would gladly trade some of his drawings for one of Klimt’s. Klimt replied: “What do you want to swap drawings with me for? You draw better than I do anyway...” Nevertheless, he happily agreed to the trade-off and in addition also bought some drawings by Schiele.
He was as pleased about this, as he was proud of the exchange...
Arthur Roessler. Erinnerungen an Egon Schiele. Fritz Karpfen. Das Egon Schiele Buch, Verlag der Wiener Graphischen Werkstätte 1921

“Cosmic mourning, the muse of his art, with enchanting rhythms.”
Arthur Roessler