Mann am Esstisch mit Kind und Katze 

Curator: Right, let’s delve into this intriguing sketch by Otto Scholderer, titled "Man at the Dining Table with Child and Cat." It's a pencil drawing on paper currently residing here at the Städel Museum. My initial reaction? Quiet intimacy. Editor: My first impression is this work illustrates a palpable sense of class dynamics present within Impressionist portrayals of domestic life. The roughness of the sketch emphasises a non idealized depiction. Curator: Absolutely, and there's something undeniably tender in the way Scholderer captures this seemingly mundane family scene, like he is sketching from memory. A man, presumably the father, is at the table, deeply engrossed in his meal, while a child and cat watch. What draws your eye? Editor: For me, it is how the drawing captures a moment suspended in time, as the sketchy outlines contrast the clear features on the man's face to show the transient nature of his family's place in society. There's a narrative implied. What social structures enabled or constrained such a family to be sustained by the father alone? Curator: That’s a fascinating point to consider; the tension between intimacy and distance here can definitely raise some socio-economic questions about family support. I'm wondering what that says about family back then. For instance, is the meal simple? Abundant? Is the setting plain, but cozy? The cat introduces, for me, a charming informality, disrupting the seriousness. How do you feel? Editor: The presence of the child is important as it prompts considerations of inheritance, legacy and privilege in how we consume this piece, or even understand how such a simple life style can offer the peace found in belonging. But I find it somewhat problematic to consider such tenderness as divorced from a system of labor relations. Curator: I hear you. It is like the work shows a scene where family ties are presented as uncomplicated which feels idealistic to our era. But beyond this historical angle I love that simple things like that cat introduce humor to Scholderer’s composition, softening the mood a little. The man is having supper while being looked at: it is just pure humanity! Editor: Precisely! So much to read from so simple a sketch! It also gives an opening on class, on childhood, on domesticity itself as a stage where societal inequities may or may not find a loving support, from father, cats or food. Curator: It is thought-provoking how he has captured something both ordinary and incredibly precious with just a few pencil strokes, right? Editor: Yes, and hopefully visitors might leave questioning their initial understanding of "precious."