Fishmonger (_) 

Editor: Here we have "Fishmonger" by Otto Scholderer. It’s a pencil and watercolor drawing on paper. It looks quite fragile, a preliminary sketch perhaps. The drawing is light and gestural, so what are your initial thoughts on this piece? Curator: The loose lines of the drawing certainly speak to a work in progress. But within that seemingly casual composition, consider the social and economic implications being rendered, or considered. What kind of a role might a fishmonger have had at the time, how did their profession influence society, and did class play a part in the work, the depiction, or in how the image may have been consumed by an audience? Editor: I didn't initially consider it from that angle. I just saw the individual, seemingly alone, maybe early in the morning, as it would have been if he had to catch the fish and sell it that day. The fish are also clearly important and highlighted here. Curator: Absolutely. Think about the availability and the market for fish, the depiction of labour. How does the image reinforce or challenge societal views on commerce, food gathering, or even cleanliness? And who gets to decide what is considered 'fine' art, versus something more utilitarian or documentary? Does the ambiguity of the form influence your impression, compared to a highly rendered oil painting? Editor: That's a good point; perhaps the lack of detail softens any direct social commentary, leaving it more open to interpretation. This has opened my eyes to the relationship between art, society, and economy. Curator: Exactly. It's through understanding these interconnections that we can better understand not only art, but its dynamic relationship with humanity itself. This study becomes, then, a broader reflection of society and its values at the time.