Artwork
La odalisca
La odalisca is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist César Álvarez Dumont. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
César Álvarez Dumont’s oil on canvas, completed in 1893, portrays a reclining odalisque. The work is part of the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is displayed among the museum’s 19th‑century holdings.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a seated woman draped in a light blue veil that scarcely conceals her legs, her torso uncovered, and a vivid headscarf of red and blue stripes. A red sash supports her skirt, while her feet emerge from beneath the fabric, suggesting intimacy and relaxed domesticity typical of odalisque imagery.
Technique & Style
The artist employs strong chiaroscuro, contrasting the illuminated flesh against a dark backdrop, which accentuates the figure’s volume. Textured brushwork on the skin gives a tactile quality, and the surrounding red curtain and heart‑shaped pillow add decorative accents that frame the scene.
History & Provenance
Created in the late 19th century, the painting entered the Museo del Prado’s collection through acquisition (specific details of purchase or donation are not recorded in the available sources). It remains catalogued under the museum’s reference number Q59860066.
Artist & collection
Artist
César Álvarez Dumont (1866–1945) was an artist, born in Vila Real de Santo António.
