Scene
Approximately 25 nude women are arranged in a circular composition around a water basin in a harem hamam. The scene includes orange-red cushions, vases, running water, fruit, and jewels.
The Turkish Bath
Figures
The women are adorned with gold jewelry and oriental headdresses. A prominent lute player in the foreground has her back to the viewer.
Symbolism
The circular framing adds a voyeuristic element as the viewer observes the scene through the oculus. Two women in intimate contact heighten the eroticism.
Craft
The artist used a tondo, or circular format, to centralize the composition. This emphasizes arabesques and curves at the expense of anatomical precision.
Impact
The work excited avant-garde painters such as Picasso when publicly revealed in 1905. It is considered the culmination of Ingres's exploration of the female nude and Orientalism.
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