Sitzender Knabe in historischer Tracht aus der _Vorbereitung zum Kostümball_, Variante 27 - 1880

Otto Scholderer made this pencil sketch of a boy in historical costume in 1880. The softness of the graphite allows for quick notations of form, and the hatching lines create volume while giving texture to the clothing. The choice of pencil on paper is interesting. Unlike oil paint, pencil is immediate, unpretentious, and democratic. Here, it flattens any hierarchy between the fine arts and the graphic arts; this sketch feels both informal and academic. Scholderer also uses these qualities to his advantage in the subject matter: the costume. A costume ball suggests a temporary, malleable identity, and graphite, too, is easily erased and reworked. But the date written on the paper – 27.1.80 – gives the sketch a sense of permanence. The combination makes you wonder: what happens when a fleeting, almost theatrical identity is made permanent through representation? Ultimately, understanding the materials and context of this artwork challenges traditional notions of high and low art, inviting us to consider the social and cultural significance embedded within seemingly simple sketches.