III Alte Volksschule
[Translate to English:]
Learning the hard way or Egon's fiasco with grades
Here you find out why Egon had a hard time in school and who recognized his artistic gifts; why he flunked out without flunking out and why he was too talented for the school of arts and crafts.
[Translate to English:] Start of the circular special-theme trail: Tulln main station
Distance: 3.6 km
Duration: About 90 min.
Difficulty: Easy, unhindered access
Schiele Folder DE
Schiele Folder EN
[Translate to English:] He was supposed to go into engineering. At least that is what his father wanted. Egon, for his part, wanted to be an artist and he was ready to fight for that goal. Egon went to school armed with pencils and brushes. Instead of excelling in writing and arithmetic, he secretly made pictures under his desk. The teachers complained. His parents tried to calm them. The first year of secondary school at Krems Gymnasium was a disaster. Egon’s father used his social connections as station master in Tulln and had the boy switch to a school in Klosterneuburg. He continued to earn poor grades there. But two teachers recognized his talent.
[Translate to English:]
The best of the best.
It was autumn 1906. His portfolio was completed. The big day had arrived. But then something unexpected happened. The panel of judges at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts turned down Egon’s application. Was it a lack of talent? No, the exact opposite. He was too talented for the school; that was the unanimous verdict. They suggested he apply to the Academy of Fine Arts instead, the dream school for any young painter. Strauch and Pauker used their connections. The sketchbook was convincing. And Egon took the first big hurdle on his way to his eagerly anticipated life as an artist.
