Bildnis einer jungen Frau nach links 

Otto Scholderer sketched this portrait of a young woman, with pencil on paper, sometime in the mid-19th century. The sitter’s gaze is directed to the left, and the softness of the pencil work lends her an intimate air. During Scholderer’s time, women were often portrayed in art through the lens of domesticity or idealized beauty, reinforcing societal expectations. In contrast, this portrait offers a more subtle depiction. We are left to wonder about her story, her aspirations, and her role in a society undergoing rapid change. Scholderer's choice to portray her in a seemingly unadorned manner, without overt symbols of status or beauty, invites us to contemplate the individual beyond the societal roles often imposed on women. It is a tender, quiet moment, captured in pencil, inviting a dialogue about identity, representation, and the unspoken narratives of women in art.