James Pradier, Bronze Portrait Of A Woman, *nude Odalisque With A Turban*, Marble, 19th Century

A beautiful antique bronze sculpture with a brown patina depicting a young, nude Eastern woman seated on a richly decorated cloth.

The figure is depicted in a calm, meditative pose. Her legs are bent; one arm wraps around her knee while her other hand rests near her foot. Her slightly tilted head, downcast gaze, and the softness of the modeling lend the sculpture a reserved and melancholic expression.

The young woman wears an ornate turban composed of bands engraved with geometric patterns. This headdress, combined with the oriental fabric draped beneath the body, links the subject to the imagery of the odalisque and to the Orientalist movement, which enjoyed great success in 19th-century French sculpture.

The treatment of the nude, the fluidity of the pose, the balance of the composition, and the idealized elegance of the face evoke the works of James Pradier and his circle. The body is rendered with great softness, through broad, smooth surfaces that contrast with the more meticulous detailing of the turban, the drapery, the hands, and the feet. The composition remains clear from all angles and rests on a rectangular base of veined black marble.

Period: 19th century.

Artist: James Pradier (after an unsigned work)

Technique: bronze with a brown patina.

Base: veined black marble. Dimensions: approximately 30 cm x 20 cm

Condition: generally good condition, with signs of use and slight variations in the patina consistent with its age; wear on the patina along one edge near the marble, which has been repaired. The photographs are an integral part of the description.