Artwork
Odaliscă cu teorbă
Odaliscă cu teorbă is a print by Iosif Iser. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Art of Romania.
About this work
Overview
Odaliscă cu teorbă is an image attributed to the Romanian painter Iosif Iser, dated to around 1850. The composition centers on a female figure wearing a vivid red headscarf, engaged in playing a lute-like stringed instrument. The surrounding space is rendered in warm reds and greens, punctuated by darker, indistinct shapes that suggest interior furnishings.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a traditional odaliscă, a folk musician often associated with rural celebrations. By focusing on the act of music-making, the image evokes themes of cultural continuity and the everyday artistic life of 19th‑century Romanian communities, though no explicit narrative is provided beyond the scene itself.
Technique & Style
Iser employs a heavily textured application of paint, characteristic of impasto, which creates a tactile surface and emphasizes the materiality of the medium. Thick, rough brushstrokes give the piece a sketch‑like vigor, while the stark contrast between the red headscarf, green foliage, and softer background tones heightens visual immediacy.
History & Provenance
The piece is catalogued as a mid‑19th‑century work by Iosif Iser, though specific details of its ownership history are not recorded in the available sources. Its dating to circa 1850 places it among Iser’s early output, reflecting his interest in folk subjects during that period.
Artist & collection
