Agony, 1912 By Egon Schiele Editorial Photo

Schiele believed that artists are like priests or monks: spiritually enlightened beings whose mission it is to share their special vision with the more ignorant masses. This notion dates back at least to the German Romantics of the early nineteenth century. For Schield, the concept was concretely embodied by the magisterial Gustav Klimt, whose floor-length painting caftan and balding pate gave hime the appearance of a genuine religious sage. Schiele fairly early on got himself a similar robe, so as better to enact the role of disciple.