Studienblatt_ Madonna mit Kind 

Otto Scholderer produced this study sheet of the Madonna and Child, in red chalk, at an unknown date. This sheet contains several sketches of the same subject, demonstrating a concern with traditional religious iconography in 19th-century Germany. Scholderer's focus on the Madonna and Child invokes centuries of Christian art, but it also speaks to the religious and cultural context of his time. Germany, during the 19th century, was a place of significant religious and political change, with both a growing sense of national identity and questions surrounding the role of religion in public life. It can be understood in relation to the institutional history of the art world, and the role of religious imagery within it. Was he hoping to challenge the established artistic norms, or reaffirm traditional values? Understanding Scholderer's world requires us to explore archives, religious texts, and historical accounts. Through such resources, we come to understand the complex relationship between art, religion, and society.