At the sickbed 

Otto Scholderer sketched “At the Sickbed” with graphite on paper at an unknown date. The scene shows a young woman lying in bed, while two figures stand watch over her. The image conveys a sense of emotional intensity. The sickbed was a common subject in 19th-century art, reflecting broader social concerns about illness, mortality, and the role of women. This reflects the rise of a more secular and scientific culture. The woman's vulnerability and dependence invite readings about social expectations, as well as the realities of domestic life in the late 19th century. Studying Scholderer’s influences, such as the Barbizon School, can further reveal the image's cultural significance. By looking at journals, letters, and exhibition reviews, we can understand this work as more than just a sentimental scene. It becomes a window into the values, anxieties, and power dynamics of its time. The history of art is also the history of the social world.