Still Life with Blue Vase and Mushrooms 1891

Otto Scholderer made this still life with oil paint, depicting mushrooms and a blue vase. The choice of subject matter reflects a growing interest in naturalism. We might consider this work in relation to the rise of scientific societies dedicated to the study of botany and biology in the nineteenth century. Did this painting reflect new social attitudes to the natural world? Was it intended to be a straightforward depiction of objects, or did it carry a symbolic meaning? To address these questions, art historians often look at exhibition reviews to find out how contemporary critics understood paintings. We can look at the writings of natural scientists or at popular magazines that catered to the tastes of middle-class consumers. By studying the social and institutional context, we can better understand this painting and its historical significance. Art's meaning is always contingent on a specific time and place.