Meadow with trees 

Otto Scholderer made this drawing, "Meadow with Trees," with graphite on paper. This idyllic landscape might seem like a simple exercise in capturing the beauty of nature. However, consider the social context in which Scholderer was working. He was part of a generation of artists grappling with the legacy of Romanticism, where nature was often idealized. As well, the rise of industrialization and urbanization prompted a nostalgia for rural life. Scholderer trained at the Städel Institute in Frankfurt, an institution deeply rooted in the academic tradition. Yet, he also aligned himself with artists seeking a more direct and truthful representation of the world around them. The sketch-like quality suggests a move away from the highly finished studio painting toward capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere en plein air. We can use archival material and exhibition reviews to understand how Scholderer and his contemporaries positioned themselves in relation to both tradition and modernity. In doing so, we reveal the complex interplay of social forces that shaped their artistic choices.