Portrait of Edith (the artist's wife), 1915 by Egon Schiele

Schiele married with middle-class, well-educated Edith Harms on June 17, 1915. She continued to be his main model until they both perished in a Spanish flu pandemic in October 1918. The painting of Schiele's wife stands in contrast to his other famous works, which are known for their depictions of extreme nudity. Her body is covered by her long, vibrant dress, which gives her a much more modest appearance.

The sketch shows Schiele's stylistic development toward less dramatic effects. His early works' sharp, angular lines have been replaced by contours that are more delicate and flowing, along with a stronger emphasis on modeling and volume suggestion. Visible brushstrokes give the surface life, particularly in the sweater and stockings where the paint, which was applied with a dried brush, has regular density fluctuations. The softer mood is further enhanced by the muted palette of brown, ochre, and blue that has taken the place of Schiele's prior favorite bright reds and yellows. With these modifications, Schiele has become more closely aligned with works of Oskar Kokoschka and less influenced by Klimt, who dominated his early career.