Odalisque
Maker
1832-1883
Title
Odalisque
Date of Production
c.1868
Medium
Etching with aquatint
Dimensions
Height: 16 cm (Sheet)
Width: 24.4 cm (Sheet)
Width: 24.4 cm (Sheet)
Accession Number
G.2023.XX.3
Mode of Acquisition
Richard Mansell-Jones, gift, 2023
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Location
Not currently on display
Label Text
Édouard Manet is often considered the first
modern artist to emerge in 19th-century Paris.
His paintings were seen as controversial for
their loose handling and incorporation of
explicitly working-class Parisians. The fictional
theme of the odalisque was unusual for Manet,
who never travelled to the Middle East or North
Africa, although he painted an erotic Orientalist
work (La Sultane) in 1871. This etching shows
his familiarity with the conventional features
of an odalisque, particularly her revealing
attire and languid pose, demonstrating the
popularity of this subject.
modern artist to emerge in 19th-century Paris.
His paintings were seen as controversial for
their loose handling and incorporation of
explicitly working-class Parisians. The fictional
theme of the odalisque was unusual for Manet,
who never travelled to the Middle East or North
Africa, although he painted an erotic Orientalist
work (La Sultane) in 1871. This etching shows
his familiarity with the conventional features
of an odalisque, particularly her revealing
attire and languid pose, demonstrating the
popularity of this subject.
Provenance
Private collection, Norway, c. 1975; Chiswick Auctions, London, 19 October 2022, lot 138, where purchased by Richard Mansell-Jones; gifted to The Courtauld in November 2023.
Exhibition History
Drawing on Arabian Nights, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 22/02/2023-04/06/2023
Literature
Guerin, Marcel, L'oeuvre grave de Manet, Paris 1944
cat. no. no. 64
cat. no. no. 64
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