Sitzende und Stehende aus der _Vorbereitung zum Kostümball_ c. 1879 - 1880

Otto Scholderer created this sketch, “Sitzende und Stehende aus der _Vorbereitung zum Kostümball_,” as a study for a larger, unknown painting. Made in the mid-19th century, this work provides insight into the lives of women within the context of bourgeois society. The sketch depicts three women in classical-style dresses, possibly in preparation for a costume ball. The women are caught in private, domestic moments of adjusting their hair and dresses; their gestures are intimate, yet the lack of detail in their faces renders them anonymous and representative of a type. Scholderer’s work captures the tension between individuality and social expectation that women faced in the 19th century. The setting of the “Kostümball” suggests an environment of performance and social display, highlighting the constructed nature of identity and the roles women were expected to play. While seemingly traditional in its subject matter, the artwork hints at a more complex narrative about identity, class, and the performative aspects of social life.