Marià Fortuny, Reus, 1838 – Rome, 1874
The Odalisque
Oil on cardboard
56.9 x 81 cm
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
An odalisque (Turkish: Odalık) was a
chambermaid or a female attendant in a Turkish seraglio, particularly the court
ladies in the household of the Ottoman sultan.
An odalık
was not a concubine of the harem, but a maid, although it was possible that she
could become one. An odalık was ranked at the bottom of the social
stratification of a harem, serving not the man of the household, but rather,
his concubines and wives as personal chambermaids. Odalık were usually slaves
given as gifts to the sultan by wealthy Turkish men. Generally, an odalık was
never seen by the sultan but instead remained under the direct supervision of
his mother, the Valide Sultan.
If an
odalık was of extraordinary beauty or had exceptional talents in dancing or
singing, she would be trained as a possible concubine. If selected, an odalık
trained as a court lady would serve the sultan sexually and only after such
sexual contact would she change in status, becoming thenceforth one of the
consorts of the sultan.
In contrast to European depictions of nude harem women,
they more often wore androgynous robes resembling those worn by the male pages
of the palace. The conditions of the Ottoman harem "resembled a monastery
for young girls more than the bordello of European imagination. More on an odalisque
Mariano Fortuny y Marsal (1838-1874) is one of the notable artists of the Spanish school of the XIXth century. A fervent admirer of Goya, he had an incontestable influence on the Spanish and Italian painters of his epoch. Following a stay in Morocco in 1860, his topics evolve towards Orientalist subjects.
Mariano Fortuny's was not only an accomplished painter, but
also a very good engraver and designer. The museum Goya, thanks to a donation
of the stepdaughter of the artist in 1951 and regular purchases, has
eighty-seven of his writings on paper drawings and watercolors, engravings. As
part of this exhibition, this whole fund of graphic art is introduced to the
public, illustrating his talent for design. More Mariano Fortuny y Marsal
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