Sketchbook: Odalisque

I don’t get much time to read, per se. But I’m an avid podcast listener. Some of my podcasts are for pure entertainment, some satisfy my need to learn.

In particular, three podcasts:

• Tamar Avishai, The Lonely Palette
• Tyler Green, The Modern Art Notes Podcast
• Paul M.M. Cooper, The Fall of Civilizations Podcast

Over the years, they have had a huge impact on how I re-think about how I was taught art history, and history, in high school. They have also been incredible sources of ideas.

Recently Tamar Avishai has begun a collaboration with The Addison Gallery of American Art in celebration of its 90th anniversary. This has resulted in a mini-series podcast Look With Your Ears. Episode 0.2^​*​ addresses the Figure in Western Art via a number of artists of diverse backgrounds.

The episode begins by examining Lalla Essaydo, an in particular her chromograph Les Femmes du Maroc: La Grande Odalisque^​†​ which recreates La Grande Odalisque by Ingres^​‡​. As I listened to a discussion about stereotype in Art, and the depiction of (often stereotyped) cultures and women in particular, I considered how I might approach a similar painting.

Firstly, I must admit that I intensely dislike Ingres La Grande Odalisque. I find the stretched spine of his subject to be deeply unsettling.

If I were to create a painting in an Odalisque in the Orientalist theme, I’d need to spend some time reviewing the variety of such paintings. This reminded me of Adrien Henri Tanoux, who had been referenced in my social media feeds recently, and eventually led to Tanoux’ La Grande Odalisque (Tanoux, H. A. (s.d.) La grande odalisque. [oil on canvas] 55 x 33 cm.) pictured at right.

I sketched a quick composition drawing of this piece, with the intent of altering the elements until it results in my equivalent of an odalisque. My obvious first step is to apply my own gaze and use a male model. This would, of course, recreate any number of paintings, drawings, and works in the western gay male canon. Something to think on.