Young Woman in Undergarments, Jacket and Hat

• Egon Schiele (1890–1918)
• 1914
• Pencil on paper
• Leopold Museum, Vienna

The woman’s arms are crossed over her chest defensively as if to create a barrier from the world. The androgynous facial features of the woman wearing a man’s jacket and hat reflect Schiele’s fascination with blurring traditional gender boundaries. Her firm posture invites the viewers to consider her relationship with the society and the public. The undergarments give a sense of intimacy and privacy, while the jacket serves as a form of social armor against the external world. The hat symbolizes both social status and anonymity.