Masterfully still life with a basket of grapes and apples was executed around 1860 and due to identical manner , composition and existing monogram OS was attributed to the hand of important German genre, portrait and still life painter Otto Scholderer (1834 Frankfurt/Main - 1902 Frankfurt/Main).

This work should have been created around 1860 after his return from Paris in 1858, where he became friends with Gustave Courber, Henri Fantin-Latour-Latour and Édouard Monet.For a comparison with some still lifes by the artist from this period see our additional photos.

Scholderer went to the Städel academy of arts in 1849, where he remained until 1851. Among his teachers were the art historian Johann David Passavant and the painter Jakob Becker.

Scholderer became acquainted with the works of Gustave Courbet. Scholderer made several short study trips to Paris between 1857 and 1858, where he became friends with Henri Fantin-Latour and Édouard Manet, whose influence can be seen in his subsequent work. Fantin-Latour depicted Scholderer in his picture Studio aux Batignolles. Starting from 1858, Scholderer worked and lived predominantly in Kronberg in Taunus, where his colleagues included Anton Burger, Peter Burnitz and Louis Eysen; he was close to the Kronberger painter colony.

In 1866, Scholderer established himself in Düsseldorf and made friends with Hans Thoma. With Thoma, Scholderer went in 1868 to Paris and returned to Germany only shortly before the outbreak of the French-German War. First Scholderer established himself in Munich, renewing his friendship with Wilhelm Leibl and becoming one of the artists of the Leibl-Kreis (Leibl circle). At the beginning of 1871 he went to London and worked there till the autumn of 1899, he married his wife Luise there in 1871. After 1899, Scholderer returned to his hometown of Frankfurt, where he died at the age of almost 68 years on 22 January 1902.

Scholdere´s realistic-poetic art found its highest perfection in his impressive, late still lifes. The recognition he deserved was posthumously brought to the German Centenary Exhibition in Berlin in 1906.Otto Scholderer´s art, initially dominated by landscapes, later consisted primarily of portraits and still lifes. The important connection between the romantic period and the Impressionists is evident in his work.

Literature: "General Artist´s Lexicon " by Thieme/Becker, Leipzig, 1999; F.von Boetticher "List of paintings of 19th century"(in German),Leipzig,1892; General artist lexicon by Saur; monograph and list of works by Jutta M. Bagdahn: Otto Franz Scholderer: 1834-1902, Freiburg 2002.

Inscription: signed with monogram OS upper left.

Technique: oil on canvas, antique frame.

Measurements: unframed : w. 18 1/2" x h.18 1/2" (47 x 47 cm); framed w.23 1/4" x h. 23 1/4" (59 x 59 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.