Monday, 12 April 2010

una esclava en venta

Another damned orientalist painting!

But this one is different from the rest. Una esclava en venta by Jose Jiminez y Aranda depicts a slave girl up for sale. Yes, it's a picture of a naked girl, but this one is compassionate showing her dejected and resigned to her fate rather than as something simply using the metaphor of a slave market in antiquity as an excuse to produce art for the titilation of men.

What I also like is the fact that the model is not overtly cleaned up, but is clearly a depiction of areal person, right down to her slightly podgy stomach.

Una esclava en venta can be seen in the Malaga Art Gallery, Spain

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