Odalisque with a slave by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, painted in 1842

An odalisque was a virgin female slave, who could rise in status to being a concubine or a wife in Ottoman Seraglios, but most of whom tended to the harem of the Turkish sultan. Download high resolution version (1071x816, 135 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1071x816, 135 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Self-portrait at age 24, 1804 Musée Condé. Napoleon on his Imperial throne, 1806, Musée de lArmée. ... Slave redirects here. ... A swampy marsh area ... Look up wife in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... A seraglio is the sequestered living quarters used by wives and concubines in a Turkish household, from an Italian variant of Turkish saray, meaning palace, enclosed courts. In the context of the turquerie fashion, the seraglio became the subject of works of art, the most famous perhaps being Mozarts... Coming from the Arab tradition, the harîm حريم (compare haram) is the part of the household forbidden to male strangers. ... Sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. ...

The word appears in a French form, and originates from the Turkish odalık, meaning "chambermaid", from oda, "chamber" or "room". Some writers spell the word as, odahlic, odalisk, and odaliq. A chambermaid is a maid who cleans and cares for bedrooms. ...

An odalisque was not a concubine of the harem, but it was possible that she could become one. Odalisques were ranked at the bottom of the social stratification of a harem, serving not the sultan, but rather, his concubines and wives as personal chambermaids. Odalisques were usually slaves given as gifts to the sultan, although some Georgian and Caucasian families urged their daughters to enter a harem as an odalisque, hoping that they might become a palace concubine, favored slave, or wife of the sultan. In sociology, social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement of social classes, castes, and strata within a society. ...

Generally, an odalisque was never seen by the sultan, but instead remained under the direct supervision of the Valide sultan. If an odalisque was of extraordinary beauty or had exceptional talents in dancing or singing, she would be trained as a possible concubine. If selected, an odalisque trained as a concubine would serve the sultan sexually, and only after such sexual contact would she change in status, becoming thenceforth a concubine. In the Ottoman Empire, concubines encountered the sultan only once, unless being especially skilled in dance, singing, or the sexual arts, and thus gaining his attention. If a concubine's contact with the sultan resulted in the birth of a son, she would become one of his wives. The Valide Sultan was the mother of a ruling sultan in the Ottoman Empire. ... A swampy marsh area ...

Odalisque painted by Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1874)

In popular use, the word odalisque also may refer, rather inappropriately given the virgin nature of these slaves, to a mistress, concubine, or paramour of a wealthy man. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (882x459, 55 KB) Description: Title: en: Odalisque Technique: de: Öl auf Leinwand en: Oil on canvas Dimensions: en: Country of origin: en: France Current location (city): en: Chicago, IL. USA Current location (gallery): en: Art Institute Other notes: Source: Date: 1874... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (882x459, 55 KB) Description: Title: en: Odalisque Technique: de: Öl auf Leinwand en: Oil on canvas Dimensions: en: Country of origin: en: France Current location (city): en: Chicago, IL. USA Current location (gallery): en: Art Institute Other notes: Source: Date: 1874... Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836 – 1911) was a French figure painter. ... Madame de Pompadour the mistress of King Louis XV of France. ... An intimate relationship is a interpersonal relationship where there is a great deal of physical or emotional intimacy. ...

• In Western culture during the 19th century, odalisques became common fantasy figures in the artistic movement known as Orientalism, being featured in many erotic paintings from that era.

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Western World. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... For Orientalist Architecture, see Moorish Revival. ...

See also

• Culture of the Ottoman Empire
• Islam and slavery
• Hammam
• Harem
• Köçek
• Orientalism
• Ottoman Turkish language
• Seraglio

Early on as the Ottoman Turks drove out the Byzantines from Anatolia and later pursued them into Europe, the pursuit was a part of the Jihad (or Holy War) against Christianity, and the first Ottoman rulers called themselves Gazi, or Holy Warriors. ... Bilal ibn Ribah, a freed black slave, calls the people to prayers as the first Muezzin. ... A hammam in Chefchaouen, Morocco The Turkish hammam (also Turkish bath or hamam) is the Middle Eastern variant of a steam bath, which can be categorized as a wet relative of the sauna. ... In traditional Arab culture, the harîm حريم (cf. ... The köçek phenomenon is considered to be one of the most significant symbols of Ottoman Empire culture. ... For Orientalist Architecture, see Moorish Revival. ... Ottoman Turkish (Turkish: or , Ottoman Turkish: ‎ ) was the variant of the Turkish language that was used as the administrative and literary language of the Ottoman Empire. ... A seraglio is the sequestered living quarters used by wives and concubines in a Turkish household, from an Italian variant of Turkish saray, meaning palace, enclosed courts. In the context of the turquerie fashion, the seraglio became the subject of works of art, the most famous perhaps being Mozarts...

Sources

• The Imperial Harem by Leslie Pierce
• The Nature of the Early Ottoman State by Heath W Lowry

External links

• Some paintings of odalisques

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Odalisque