Eduard Kosmack

The sitter is like a hypnotist casting his spell over us. Beneath an extremely high forehead, his penetrating gaze hits us full on. Kosmack’s bony hands and the arms pressed close to his body emphasize his withdrawn character. All that interrupts the strict symmetry of the portrait is the sunflower on the right. The figure of the publisher contrasts powerfully with the light background, its flat, planar character still closely resembling the art of the Vienna Secession. Yet Schiele’s expressive style is already visible here: gestures, body language, and facial expressions are now the principal elements of his portraits. The body has been transformed into a vehicle of human emotions.