Egon Schiele (1890 - 1918) is nowadays regarded as one of the leading pioneers of Modernism in Austria. Although he already enjoyed some success during his lifetime and came to be considered Austria's greatest artist following his death, his outstanding impo rtance for art was recognized only in the early 1950s. Rudolf Leopold, the early collector of Schiele who first became interested in Schiele in the 1950s, has been instrumental in raising the international profile of Egon Schiele. Today, his art treasures are housed in the Leopold Museum in Vienna, which holds the world's largest and most outstanding collection of works by Schiele. Diethard Leopold, the collector's son and author of this volume, naturally grew up with Schiele's works, developing a special affinity and familiarity with the artist and his works. In this monograph he examines the life of the painter, who died prematurely at the age of 28, and based on major works from every one of his creative periods he presents an artist who captivates the viewer with emotional subjects and technical ingenuity al ike. In the archive section of this volume, special finds from the rich trove of documents he left behind show the copious talent of Egon Schiele who not only excelled as a painter and graphic artist, but also awaits discovery for his expressionist poetry.

The art academy failed to recognise his talent; he rejected the contemporary art scene in Vienna; and his visionary work was largely neglected during his lifetime: the painter Richard Gerstl (1883-1908), whose creative period lasted for just four intensive years, is regarded today as one of the most important representatives of Austrian Expressionism for his portraits and landscapes. With his early pictures Self-Portrait against a Blue Background and The Sisters Karoline and Pauline Frey Richard Gerstl began to create an oeuvre which was well ahead of his times and which made him one of the pioneers of Abstract Expressionism. In 1906 Gerstl met the musician Arnold Schoenberg. He embarked upon an affair with the latter's wife Mathilde, who briefly left her husband but then returned to him in 1908. Gerstl not only lost his lover but was also socially isolated; he committed suicide during that same year. His work sank into oblivion

In the historical period of new beginnings starting in the 1950s, the collector Rudolf Leopold (1925- 2010), with pioneer - like foresight and a keen sense of art, was able to do someting few others of his ilk succeeded in doing: build up a large, both aesth etically sophisticated and art historically relevant collection of international renown. The biography paints a picture of Rudolf Leopold as a fascinating collector. It is based on the personal memories of his son, Diethard Leopold, and the latter's conve rsations with his father, relatives and contemporaries, as well as with competitors of his father. It is the lasting record of a lifelong effort to preserve what has defined a cultural period. Beginning with Schiele as core artist, his collection includes numerous major works by the likes of Klimt, Kokoschka, Gerstl, Egger - Lienz, and Kubin as well as by German Expressionists. Important furniture, arts and crafts, jewelry, and African and Japanese art complement the collection.