Sitzende Frau mit einem Zupf- oder Streichinstrument 

Curator: Welcome. Before us is a drawing by Otto Scholderer, housed right here at the Städel Museum. It’s titled "Seated Woman with a Plucked or Bowed Instrument," rendered in pencil and chalk. Editor: Oh, a woman in repose! She looks caught between worlds. The tentative lines give her an air of fragility, like a dream about to dissipate. And the way the instrument is drawn – almost an afterthought. Curator: Interesting that you see fragility. From a historical perspective, these preliminary sketches allowed artists like Scholderer to explore compositions and ideas freely, prior to committing to a finished painting. These were never really intended for the public eye. Editor: Perhaps, but that peek behind the curtain is what enthralls me! The roughness around the edges enhances its intimacy. Do you notice how the dress and the instrument, all melt into each other, as though of the same matter? It feels as though Scholderer is not trying to capture likeness, but something more, a feeling. Curator: Indeed. In terms of context, portraiture during this period - roughly late 19th, early 20th century - began moving away from strict realism. We start seeing an interest in conveying character, atmosphere, impressions… think of the rise of Impressionism and its influence on portraiture, not just in painting, but other media too. The location of this kind of sketches—being more and more integrated within artists personal sketchbooks and practices. Editor: It certainly liberates the viewer. I keep wanting to give her a story, maybe she's practicing a serenade for a forbidden lover! The drawing sparks this... well, music! Can’t you feel its soft rhythm? Curator: A beautiful interpretation! It does suggest a sense of quiet contemplation. But these images played a complex role, sometimes even functioning as tokens of wealth and social positioning. The line is definitely more subtle here. It lets us focus on this private space, beyond what that music could mean socially or symbolically. Editor: And I’m content to remain there. The raw expressiveness of the piece feels so contemporary, in its own peculiar, veiled way. Curator: A sentiment that echoes the tension inherent in works like these, existing in the space between private creation and public appreciation. Thank you for that vision.