School of Rome, late 19th century

School of Rome, late 19th century.
M. MUÑOZ (Spain, 1859-?).
"Odalisque", Rome, 1889
Oil on canvas.
Signed, dated and located on the upper right side.
Measurements: 70 x 192 cm; 92 x 212 cm (frame).

This oil painting is an exceptional work within the rise of Orientalism cultivated by the School of Rome in the late nineteenth century. With unusual generous dimensions, the composition is conceived to visually dominate the space, offering the viewer a scene of refined exoticism, typical of the European romantic imaginary of the time.

The central figure appears reclining with a serene sensuality, following the tradition inaugurated by masters such as Ingres or Fortuny. Her body, partially veiled by a translucent fabric, allows the artist to display a remarkable virtuosity in the representation of epidermal qualities and subtle transparencies. The model is adorned with a complex repertoire of jewelry - bracelets, a pearl necklace and a diadem of coins - that delicately capture the light, while the anklets on her ankles and the tambourine she holds accentuate the evocative narrative of the captive odalisque.

The interior becomes an authentic textile stage: oriental carpets with intricate geometric motifs and the leopard skin on which the figure rests add chromatic richness and a suggestive tension between the wild and the exquisite. The work fully reflects the academic spirit of the Spanish artists' colony in Rome, combining precise drawing with vibrant color and meticulous brushwork in the decorative details, but fluid and enveloping in the treatment of the canvases. A canvas of great aesthetic strength and extraordinary ornamental appeal.