Dead City (Český Krumlov)

In 1910, Schiele began to visit Český Krumlov, the native town of his mother where he created the first Krumlov-inspired paintings. A year later, disgusted by his life in Vienna, Schiele left for Krumlov with a serious intention to settle there. However, he was forced to leave the town after several months, being unsatisfied with its provinciality. Schiele created several small paintings in Český Krumlov including this small oil on panel. The painter conceived it as a cut-out of the view of the city with a cluster of houses above the river. He did not seek to render the city from the outside; rather, he pursued its mysterious atmosphere - genius loci.