“In these great peace … it was a lot of openwork screens, create a labyrinth in which, like a shadow, gone our appearance frightened woman. However, the Sultan shouted at them. And soon we were surrounded by female company, the charm of which depended more on its youth than the skin color of those who compose it. There were forty women, and they all smiled ingratiatingly his master and took languorous poses. It seemed that we face shiny wax doll. Their bare breasts are perfectly shapes were decorated only necklaces and jewelry, sarongs and hip snug pink. I found it all a fantastic dream, inspired by the stories of the “Thousand and One Nights” … ”
Brian Davis paintings
Winterhalter_Franz_Xavier_The_Maharajah_Duleep_Singh_1854
Plutenko Stanislav
The word “harem” is derived from the Arabic “harim» (harim) – «what is forbidden.” The Arabs was the name of the house reserved for women, and women themselves living there. This word is, and synonyms – “harem”, “Xena” and “purdah”.
. Access to the harem was only the head of the family and his sons. For everyone else, this part of the Arab dwellings – a strict taboo. The taboo is so strictly observed and earnestly that the Turkish chronicler Dursun Bay wrote: “If the sun were a man, even he would be forbidden to look into the harem.”
When the first harems, hard to say. In ancient times, men hunted and waged tribal wars and, therefore, put their lives at risk. Polygamous relationships tribe saved from extinction. In the first cell of human society played an important role the birth of an increasing number of children, especially sons, and so men have sought to acquire a huge family. First harem discovered by archaeologists during excavations of the palace in the Chaldean Tello, was supposedly built at the beginning of the third millennium before Christ. Ange Tissier
Leonid Kokov
Frederick Arthur Bridgeman Henri Lucien Doucet Beauty of Harem
The notion of harems, prevailed in Europe until the early twentieth century, has always been associated with the image of voluptuous old libertine, entertain the hundreds of topless young virgins. For Turkey, this scene is much more rare than the Italian Renaissance period or feudal Russia of the nineteenth century. Turks tend historically had a much more serious outlook on life than, say, the Egyptians or Arabs. Despite the fact that the Turkish harems so often appeared in European literature, painting and ballet, the facts tell a different story. Turks seriously interested in harems after captured Constantinople and saw that this institution was very popular in the Byzantine Christians.
Despite the commonplaces that prevailed in Europe until the early twentieth century, Turkish harem does not look like a palace, where women are bored of doing nothing, waiting for their master to please summoned. Life in it was strictly regulated, and all ran not master of the house, and an elderly woman – his wife or mother. Each had his own harem inmates, clearly defined responsibilities. She had to strictly follow the countless rigid rules and regulations. In many ways, these orders were like a monastery. Sultan’s harem was different from the others not only in the number of eunuchs. For many young girls get into the harem of the Sultan was a great success and often – the best twist of fate. Woman usually bought at a very young age, she had to get good skills in the art of seducing men before they start to compete with their older companions in the fight for the attention of the Sultan.
Rudolf Ernst
Those who have had a good appearance, received some sort of education. They were taught to play musical instruments, sing, dance and cook. Foreign trained Turkish language. Sultan’s concubines provides an excellent opportunity for recreation and entertainment – both in the harem, and in the surrounding gardens, where they played various games, including a very moving and noisy. At such times, they gave vent to his unspent physical energy and become like children. And the harem in a sense can be compared with the school for girls, with the only difference being that in this place they were prepared to ensure that they are, from time to time surrendering his master, humored him as much as possible more sophisticated caresses.
Cormon_Fernand_Le_harem_
If needed Sultan concubines for any purpose (for example, he wanted to listen to the game on the Turkish flute and singing or watch dancing), he shall notify the duty tutor. It builds in a row inmates of the harem, and the monarch examined them. If some of them he looked particularly closely, it meant that later she had to spend the night with him. Sometimes in such cases, the Sultan further focus their choice by throwing a handkerchief toward him vending odalisque. The one who smiled happiness – and yet the attention of the Sultan could mean many privileges afterwards – preparing for a date with the monarch with all diligence. Procedure lasted usually for hours and all its troubles, bustle and bustle resembled pre-wedding preparations European brides. Finally, several elderly black slaves were concubine in private sleeping quarters of the sultan, who were there in the harem. A pair of these slaves had to be in the bedroom all night, and every two or three hours to replace one came others. Their main duty was supervised by two torches that burned until dawn. One of the torches was at the door, and the other – at the foot of the bed. In the morning the Sultan got up first and put on clean clothes, and not the one in which he came in the evening. This garment, along with all the money in his pockets and often accounted for a large sum, got as a gift to sleeping concubine.
As for the women who gave birth to the Sultan of children, it is usually no longer slept with them, but sent to other imperial harems, where it was easy to break if they find a decent pair and with the consent of the lord married. One woman keep in their hands the reins over the institution. This is the mother of the monarch, who bore the title of Valide sultan
In the Harem Gyula Tornai
Lecomte du Nouy. The White Slave.
Adolphe Yvon
Stifter_Moritz_In_The_Harem
Pierre Auguste Renoir
Leve Frederic Louis A Harem Beauty Seated On A Leopard Skin
Francois de Joinville
Francois de Joinville
Karl Briullov
Ricardo Villegas y Cordero
John Frederick Lewis Harem Life in Constantinople
Harem Watercolor on Paper by Haydar Hatemi
Bridgman Frederick Arthur The Reading Lesson
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