Haremde Goethe
Abdülmecid II · 1918
Why it's great
The German poet Goethe, in a dressing gown, reads a book in a room full of women in an imagined Ottoman harem. Abdülmecid II painted this in 1918, and he was the last caliph of the Ottoman family and also a talented painter. It shows how Ottoman artists were interested in European culture. It's a very unusual meeting of East and West.
Where to see it
📍 Ankara Painting and Sculpture MuseumAnkara, Turkey
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Abdülmecid II was born in Istanbul in 1868 and was the last caliph of the Ottoman family. He was also a talented painter and music lover. After Turkey became a republic, he was forced into exile. He died in Paris in 1944.
