Jose Jimenez Aranda's slave girl

Posted by Tanos on Wed 27 Jan 10, 12:17 AM

Tags: paintings

I've had a copy of Jose Jimenez Aranda's painting of a naked slave girl (sat on a rug surrounded by the feet of buyers) on my site since about 2003. I made a stab at the inscription she bears, and got as far as "Rose" ("Rhodon") and "18 (years)" ("IH"), but I've now got an official version.

I found it on her page in the 19th century section of the Museum of Malaga, which says (in Spanish) "Rosa 18, on sale for 800 coins". In turn, I was prompted to revisit the painting by coming across the story of Rhodopis ("rosy-cheeked"), a Greek slave girl in Ancient Egypt, which appears to be the original version of Cinderella. In one version, she is the historical courtesan Rhodopis, bought in an Egyptian slave market by Charaxus, and it strikes me that might be the story behind Aranda's painting, with its mixture of classical and orientalist elements.