Masterfully portrait of a odalisque from the Ottoman era was executed in the first half of 19th century by well known Italian nude, genre and oriental painter and engraver Natale Schiavoni (1777 Chioggia - 1858 Venice). Mainly depicting history and portraits . Many of his paintings depict seductive nubile women .

Schiavoni is claimed by Perkins to be a distant descendant of Andrea Schiavoni, the Venetian painter. In Venice, he trained with Francesco Maggi Otto, and later came under the influence of the Neoclassicism.

He was peripatetic, traveling in 1800 to Trieste, and in 1810 to Milan, where he painted Eugene Beauharnais and the royal family. In Milan, he was able to frequent the studios of Appiani, Longhi, and Sabatelli. In 1816, Schiavoni was invited by the Austrian emperor to Vienna, to become the official portratist for the court. From there, he returned to Venice in 1821, where he became professor at the Academy of Fine Arts. He resided in the Palazzo Giustinian on the Grand Canal. He was awarded with a gold medal at art exhibition in Brussels. Among his works are a Penitent Magdalene (1852) once on display in the National Gallery of Berlin; a painting on the same subject at the Vienna Museum; a Bacchante, once on display at the Stadel Gallery in Frankfort; and at Adoration of Shepherds, once on display at the British Museum, London. Hey was described by Pietro Selvatico as in coloring, highly skillful, but in shading, inimitably supreme.

Natale Schiavoni was highly successful painter and engraver who created numerous works to the taste of the audience . In addition to many portraits he became known for his sexy girls figures and odalisquesMany of them press a certain state of mind, or a property of such sadness, joy , curiosity , etc. Moreover Schiavoni also created many religious images and history paintings of history and mythology .

His sons Felice (1803-68) and Giovanni (1804-48) were also painters of mythology and history. Among his followers was Antonio Zuccaro (1815-1892). Many of paintings by Schiavoni were engraved by Luigi Boscolo.

Literature: Lexicons by Thieme/Becker, Saur, Fuchs, Shidlof, Comanducci, on-line wikipedia.org.

Inscription: signed with monogram on the censer.

Technique: oil on canvas. Luxuriousy original period gold-plated frame.

Measurements: unframed w 16 1/8" x h 12 1/4" (41 x 31 cm), framed w 25 1/4" x h 21 1/4" (64 x 54 cm).

Condition: very good.