A Comprehensive Analysis of Ingres' La Grande Odalisque Art Piece

This essay delves into Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres's "La Grande Odalisque," created in 1814, examining its significance as a transition piece between Neoclassicism and Romanticism. The analysis covers the visual elements, such as the elongated figure of the odalisque and her suggestive pose, which reflect Ingres's pursuit of the ideal female form and the exotic allure of the Orient. Contextually, the essay explores the painting's reception in relation to contemporary perceptions of female nudity and the political climate of Napoleonic France. Themes of eroticism, cultural fascination, and historical aggression are discussed, alongside the visual language of anatomical distortion and sensual lines. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding the artwork within its historical and artistic context, acknowledging both its marvelous qualities and perceived flaws. Desklib provides similar solved assignments for students.

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Visual description and analysis.......................................................................................................2
Contextual analysis..........................................................................................................................3
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
Reference.........................................................................................................................................5

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Introduction
La Grande Odalisque is a masterpiece oil painting art done by Jean Augiste Domoinique
Ingres. This art was created in the year 1814 and Jean wanted to depict a corcubine or an
odalisque. The art work was created to signify the break of Ingres from the Neoclassicism and at
the same time it indicated a shift towards the Romanticism [1].
Thesis Statement- Ingres transports the viewer of the picture to a faraway land of Persia
and to the 19th century. The woman here has worn a turban and a jewellery and is lying on a
divan. The women pose her back to the viewer. It is an important contributor to the Neoclassical
art and it was strongly influenced by the High Renaissance painting of Titan and Raphael. Ingres
wanted to represent the conservative side of the French painting and it is basically concerned
with the refining and conserving the classical traditions that were again discovered during the
Italian Renaissance.
Visual description and analysis
At a first glance at the art, one can see the subject matter as a traditional art. It is
important to mention that the art historians that the elongation of the pelvic area and he
odalisque’s back is drawn in a way so as to satisfy the Ingres quest for the ideal form of female
body. The duty of an odalisque is to satisfy the pleasures of a sultan and it is important to
highlight that the elongation of the pelvic area of the woman is actually a symbolic distortion.
She is lying on the diva and her nude pose shows that she is offering herself. In the art, the
woman is described as a modest harem. However, if one sees to the eyes and face of the woman
then one can see the woman is lacking any sign of eager expectation. Ingres also have made the
body of the woman as elegant and sensuous. From the art it can be seen that anatomically the

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woman is having 2 or more vertebrae than usual. Thus, it is anatomically unlikely that the lower
left leg is capable of meeting with the knee in the mid portion of the painting. Furthermore, it is
highly unlikely that the left thigh attached to this knee in able to reach her hip area [2].
Contextual analysis
Context- The contemporary perception of the La Grande Odalisque and in terms of the
cultural context it is called as the Orient. The female nudity is termed as Venus during those
times. Due to the issues of female nudity, the artworks were removed and the much likely Ingres
was also having the neoclassical roots due to which Ingres was also distanced. At those times
Napoleon was ruling over France and it was consolidating the colonial possessions that later on
led to the problematic fascination and politicization. The Ingres’s odalisque is term which is also
referred to as the harem or concubine. Those times were usually called as the Orient and it
highlighted the Near East and Turkey. There were certain markers in the art that depicted the
Persian touch through the bejewelled turban, feather fan turban, a delicate hookah at the right
marked the exoticism that is allowing the viewers to not get offended. The art work was actually
commissioned by the Queen of Naples Caroline Murat and the sister of Emperor Napoleon [3].
Themes and agenda- the art work was presented in a sumptuous interior and the first
glance one can see that the nude art work is seemed to follow the tradition and culture of the
Great Venetian masters that have similarities with the Titan’s Venus of Urbino which was
created in the year 1538. However, on closer examination it can be found that Ingres tried to
create an erotic art work which will accentuated by an exotic context. The hookah, the enormous
pearl and the peacock fan refers to the French concept of the Orient. In the mid of the 19th
century from the perspective of a male viewer, and for whom the art was made would have
called the woman as a harem slave. Although it is a misconception, but the desires and fears are

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linked with the history of aggression that were existing between the Islamic Asia and Christian
Europe [4].
Visual language of artwork- the body of the nude woman took the entire space of the
canvas. the buttocks, elbow and head are all inches away from the edges of the canvas and the
toes of the woman is beyond the edges of the frame. The technique used by Ingres are the
anatomical distortions that are mostly seen within the female nudes. Ingres drew long sensuous
lines so that the pelvis area and her back can be extended. The piece of the art is both erotic and
sensual and the woman is actually offering herself to the sultan by providing a slight preview of
her sensuous body. Only her back is visible and is facing the sultan and at the same time she is
also revealing a part of her breast [2].
Importance- each criterion is important in understanding the artwork because the time
during the art was composed, the artist’s thoughts when he was making the art contributes
positively towards the creation of a masterpiece that will be helps the critics and the viewer to be
an extended part of the art. Similarly, the time during which the art was composed also plays a
key role in building and composing the art work. while it is important to mention that the art
work is mainly influenced by the contemporary society and the specific mind-set of the artist [1].
Conclusion
From the above discussion it can be concluded that the art work of Ingres is marvellous
and the lighting effects and the colour tone chosen during drawing the painting is marvellous as
well. However, the true to reality also provides a lot of areas where flaws can be detected.

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Reference
1. Maigne, Jean-Yves, Gilles Chatellier, and Hélène Norlöff. "Extra vertebrae in Ingres’ La
Grande Odalisque." Journal of the royal society of medicine 97.7 (2004): 342-344.
2. Fleckner, Uwe. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1780-1867. Könemann, 2000.
3. Bann, Stephen. "Ingres in reproduction." Art History 23.5 (2000): 706-725.
4. Betzer, Sarah. "Artist as Lover: Rereading Ingres's Raphael and the Fornarina." Oxford Art
Journal 38.3 (2015): 313-341.