Opulent Decadence

Volutptuous figures in old decadent Cete by the Australian painter Norman Lindsay (1879-1969).

The Five Senses

The five senses allegoric paintings by the Austrian academic painter Hans Makart (1840-1884).

Demonic Lilith

Lilith (1892) by the English painter John Collier (1850–1934). The old demon who was in Jewish legend the first woman of Adam, the first woman on Earth.

Athletic Models

Models for Olympians by the Scottish painter William Russell Flint (1880 - 1969). I can’t avoid, but these well trained bodies remind me of Helmut Newton's athletic nude models.

Nude Impression

Another of that impressive dashing painted nudes by the famous Italian Giovanni Boldini (1842-1931).

Diana Hunting

Diana Hunting (1899) by the French painter Guillaume Seignac (1870 - 1924). Seignac was typical for the French academic style of the Salon and produced a kind of Neo-Rococo.

Salome

Salome (1888) by the Spanish painter Francisco Masriera y Manovens (1842-1902). A really gorgeous and seductive Salome. A nice example for the quality of late 19th century paintings.

Neoclassical Nude

Girl on a fountain (1845) by the French painter Paul Delaroche (1797-1856). The whole arrangement and the artificial pose of the girl is part of a neoclassical composition, which was typical for the time.

Egyptian Legend

Tahoser (1886) by the French painter Gaston Bussière (1862-1929).

According to legend Tahoser was the great priest's daughter and had a passionate love story with the Pharaoh.

Oriental Nude

An oriental girl by the American artist Frederick Arthur Bridgman (1847-1928). Bridgman went in 1866 to Paris and became a pupil of Jean-Léon Gérôme. Later he made a trip to Egypt and became a well known Orientalist painter.

Indian Girls

Two Nautch Girls a sketch by the American painter Edwin Lord Weeks (1849-1903). Weeks was a student of Jean-Léon Gérôme and made several journeys to India. In my humble opinion he is one of the greatest Orientalist painters.

A modern Sphinx

Iris by the great Norman Lindsay (1879-1969). She looks like a modern Sphinx asking her riddles.

Diana Surprised

Diana surprised by the French painter Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911). A typical classical subject which for Lefebvre was so famous in the salon.

Beautiful Slaves

At the Well by the French painter Adrien Henri Tanoux (1865-1923). Tanoux was a well known Orientalist painter but I doubt that he ever saw a scene like this.

A Legendary Couple

Cleopatra and Anthony (1902) by the great American Illustrator Joseph Christian Leyendecker (1874-1951). This is also a very typical Art Nouveau illustration and much more erotic than Leyendecker did normally.

Greek Priestess

Priestess (1893) by the British painter John William Godward (1861–1922). One of the sweet girlies that Godward sold with great success as ancient priestesses.

Dying Amazon

Dying Amazon (1905) by the German painter Franz von Stuck (1863-1928). A great Art Nouveau painting, more ornament and color than realistic image. Nevertheless a very erotic piece of art.

Harem Bather

After the Bath (1889) by the French painter Pierre-Louis Bouchard (1831-1889). In my humble opinion one of the hottest odalisques of the 19th century.

Sappho

The famous Greek poetess Sappho short before her death-leap from the white cliff. A dark erotic painting by the French artist Charles-August Mengin (1853-1933), who was a student of Alexandre Cabanel.

Moonlight Bather

Another of the sweet Berber girls by the French Orientalist painter Alphonse-Étienne Dinet (1861- 1929).

Art Deco Cover Girl

A beautiful cover girl by the famous Polish born Art Deco artist Wladyslaw Teodor Benda (1873-1948).
Benda studied in Krakow, Vienna and San Francisco. In 1899 he settled permanently in the United States.

Reclining Nude

Reclining nude by the French academic painter George Moreau (1848-1901). Seems to be a historical set. Interesting is also that it’s already a kind of art nouveau painting.

Impressionist Bacchante

A bacchante by the Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923). Sorolla was spains leading impressionist painter famous for his sunny landscapes and beach scenes.

Odalisque

Odalisque (1880) by the Austrian painter Franz Lefler (1831-1898). Leffler was strongly influenced by Hans Makart and the Egyptian fashion of the time.

Pharaoh's Favorite

Pharaoh's favorite by the Croatian art nouveau painter Blaise Vlaho Bukovac (1855-1922). Bukovac was a student of Alexandre Cabanel in Paris and shows here a strange mixture of orientalistic and historical subjects. Nevertheless looks the girl with her headdress quite modern.

Psyche and Cupido

Psyche and her lover Cupido. A sweet love story with rosy little angels, kitsch as kitsch can.
The painting is by the French academic and history painter Lionel-Noël Royer (1852-1926), who was a student of Cabanel et de Bouguereau which could easily be detected.

One more Water Nymph

Another one of the perfectly painted nudes by the British painter Herbert James Draper (1863 – 1920). As a "water nymph" it could be exposed and sold.

Bacchante

A bacchante by the French Neoclassical painter Marie Louise Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun (1755-1842). Vigée-Lebrun was very successful with portraits of European nobles. Here she painted a nude as a historical Greek/Roman bacchante.

Picking the Favourite

Picking the Favourite by the Italian orientalist painter Giulio Rosati (1858-1917). A typical male dream so beloved by the Orientalists. Three nude female slaves were presented to the buyer. It’s also a kind of orientalist judgement of Paris.

One more Venus

The Birth of Venus (1862) by the French academic painter Eugène-Emmanuel Amaury-Duval (1808-1885). Maybe it’s a nice nude but else it’s a boring repetition of countless paintings with the same subject.

Gorgeous Birds

Imperia by the great Australian painter Norman Lindsay (1879-1969). With his characteristic irony Lindsay confronts here to gorgeous narcissistic birds.

Morning Allegory

Songs of the Morning is a typical Victorian nude painting, this time a kind of allegory. It’s by the British painter Henrietta Rae (1859 - 1928 ) who was a friend of Sir Frederic Leighton who became also her mentor.

Manierist Nude

Many of these 19th century nudes and odalisques are inspired by the perfect Venus by the Flemish manierist painter Jan Massys (1509-1575). One of the best nudes in art history.

Reclined Odalisque

A reclined odalisque waiting for her sheik by the French painter Léon-François Comerre (1850-1916).