Der Harem

Der Harem (The Harem, 1904), at the Hessian State Museum Darmstadt, belongs to a tradition of Orientalist fantasy subjects that retained popularity in European painting into the early twentieth century. Corinth never visited the Middle East—this is a studio fantasy using models in exotic dress, a genre descended from Delacroix's odalisque compositions. His treatment is unlikely to replicate the stylised eroticism of French academic Orientalism; his characteristic German physicality and preference for direct paint handling would have produced something more visceral than the polished surfaces of Gérôme or Bouguereau. The subject allowed an exploration of the female figure in exotic costume without the social constraints attached to contemporary portraiture.

The multi-figure composition uses costume, drapery, and accessories to create a sense of exotic setting, though Corinth's paint handling maintains its characteristic expressiveness regardless of nominal subject. The palette likely exploits colour contrasts available in Oriental dress—rich reds, golds, and deep blues—against the flesh tones of the figures. Brushwork is energetic throughout, refusing the smooth surfaces of academic Orientalist painting.