Vorbereitung zum Kostümball c. 1879 - 1880

Otto Scholderer sketched "Vorbereitung zum Kostümball" with charcoal, likely in the late 19th century, capturing a scene of women preparing for a costume ball. The gathering itself is an echo of ancient rituals, where dress and performance blurred the lines between identity and representation. Costume balls were not merely social events; they were stages for psychological liberation, where societal norms could be playfully subverted. Consider the act of masking, which dates back to early human civilization. Across cultures, masks have served as tools for transformation, allowing wearers to embody spirits, deities, or archetypes. This primal act of assuming a different persona taps into a deep-seated human desire for metamorphosis, and the costume ball becomes a secular ritual. The image resonates with the Bacchanalian spirit found in classical art, re-emerging in modern times as a celebration of freedom and expression, constantly evolving.