The Blackberry Feast 1872

Otto Scholderer made this sketch called 'The Blackberry Feast' with pencil on paper. The work’s composition is arranged into three distinct registers, with the figures stacked vertically, almost like snapshots from different moments in time. Scholderer masterfully uses line to delineate form, focusing on the child's posture and clothing. The lines are light and almost tentative, as if capturing a fleeting moment. The absence of shading reinforces the sketch-like quality, and the overall effect is one of immediacy and spontaneity. The varying perspectives across the registers show the artist testing out different views and compositions. The use of space is also notable. The figures are placed in the foreground, with no background detail to distract from the central subject. This serves to isolate the figures and emphasize the child's gestures and expressions. The structural simplicity of the piece allows us to appreciate the artist's skill in capturing movement and emotion with minimal means. 'The Blackberry Feast' provides an intimate glimpse into Scholderer's artistic process and his interest in depicting everyday life.