Egon Schiele (1890–1918) (pronounced SHE-luh) was an Austrian painter, protégé of Gustav Klimt, and a major figurative painter of the early 20th century. Schiele’s work is noted for its intensity, twisted body shapes and expressive line. His paintings and drawings mark the artist as an early exponent of Expressionism. His work is often erotic or pornographic, sometimes with a disturbing focus on sex & death. His life was marked with controversy. In 1911, Schiele met the seventeen-year-old Valerie “Wally” Neuzil, who lived with him in Vienna and served as model for some of his most striking paintings. Schiele and Wally left Vienna and went to a small town in southern Bohemia. Soon however they were driven out of the town by the residents, who strongly disapproved of their lifestyle. In 1912, the artist was imprisoned for a short period of time because of his way of painting very young nude models that was thought to be immoral. The magistrate made a point of personally burning one of Schiele’s drawings before the assembled crowd. 1915 marked a turning-point in Schiele’s life. Some time in the previous year he had met his future wife Edith, and by April 1915 he was engaged to her. In the fall of 1918 Edith fell ill with Spanish influenza and died. Almost immediately Egon came down with the same sicknes and died three days later, he was only 28.