Zwei Mädchen mit Mandoline und am Klavier 

Otto Scholderer sketched "Zwei Mädchen mit Mandoline und am Klavier" in the 19th century. The drawing's visual impact arises from its composition and the relationship between the two figures. The woman in the foreground, holding a mandolin, is drawn with soft, flowing lines. Her relaxed pose contrasts with the figure at the piano, who is depicted with more angular strokes, suggesting a rigidity in posture. The contrast in style and positioning invites a semiotic interpretation. The mandolin alludes to leisure and artistic sensibility, while the piano evokes intellect and formality. However, Scholderer's use of subtle visual cues destabilizes these binaries. The soft lines and relaxed pose of the first woman, combined with the rougher strokes of the second, challenge established notions of femininity and domesticity. Ultimately, the composition underscores the idea that identity and roles are not fixed. Scholderer prompts us to consider how individuals negotiate and subvert conventional expectations through subtle acts of self-expression.