Portrait of Leopold Czihaczek, in Profile Facing Left

Austrian artist Egon Schiele created this Portrait of Leopold Czihaczek, in Profile Facing Left as part of his series depicting his uncle and guardian. The profile view shows Czihaczek's distinctive bearded features from a different angle than Schiele's frontal portraits, demonstrating the young artist's interest in studying his subject from multiple perspectives.

During his years at the Vienna Academy (1906-1909), Schiele lived with Czihaczek and repeatedly returned to his uncle as a subject. The profile orientation was a classical approach to portraiture, dating back to ancient coins and Renaissance medals. Schiele may have been exploring traditional formats while developing his skills.

The relationship between artist and guardian would deteriorate by 1910, when Czihaczek resigned his guardianship over Schiele's scandalous behavior. These early portraits document a period of relative stability before Schiele's controversial subject matter brought notoriety. The work remains in a private collection.