Where can I see Leighton's Odalisque?

This Odalisque is in a private collection. Other works by Leighton can be seen at Leighton House Museum in London.

What is an odalisque?

An odalisque was a female slave or concubine in an Ottoman harem. The subject was popular among Victorian artists interested in exotic themes.

What style is this painting?

The painting reflects Orientalism, a 19th-century movement depicting romanticized Eastern subjects. Leighton combined this with his academic training.

Where Is Odalisque? See It at Private Collection

Frederic Leighton composed this Odalisque in 1862, an oil on canvas measuring 90.8 x 45.7 cm. The work shows a young woman in flowing dress, holding a peacock feather fan in her left hand. Leighton drew inspiration from chambermaids employed in seraglios, the Turkish living quarters reserved for wives of Ottoman households.

Leighton (1830-1896) became a leading figure in the Victorian art establishment, serving as President of the Royal Academy from 1878. His classical and historical paintings showed the influence of Renaissance and Baroque masters. The Orientalism movement appealed to Victorian audiences fascinated by exotic, Eastern subjects.

The painting's rich colorful palette and detailed textile patterns demonstrate Leighton's technical mastery. An engraving by Lumb Stocks reproduced the image in 1876, spreading its popularity. The original remains in a private collection, though Leighton's other works can be seen at Leighton House Museum in London.