Jean-Leon Gerome, "Pool in a Harem", 1876

Hall №312

Jean Leon Gerome studied in the studio of the famous master of monumental historical paintings Hippolyte (Paul) Delaroche at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. The painting "Pool in a Harem" is an example of so-called "academic realism," which the artist developed thought his career. Gerome traveled a lot to Eastern countries (Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Palestine and Sinai). His unfailing interest in the depiction of scenes from the life of the Muslim world gave him a reputation as an "ethnographic" artist. Gerome, with incredible attention, literally documented exotic oriental life. Due to his student Seker Ahmet Pasha, Jerome was able to get inside the palaces of Istanbul and see with his own eyes what ordinary men weren’t allowed to see. The artist also specially purchased photos of the interiors from Abdullah Freres studio so he could be accurate in the details. Because of his thoroughness in work, everything on Jerome's pictures look real and authentic: the ornamented tiles of the construction on the right and its reflection on the wet and polished marble floor; colored patterns of oriental carpet; relaxed and sensual poses of women of the harem; clothes of dark-skinned maid; and even the background, which is melting into the bath pair. The picture was very well received in the Salon of 1876, and the artist has been universally recognized.