Recently I acquired these two unusual dark-skinned children in the remains of their original silk clothing. They have molded golden slippers with upturned toes and are kneeling in a gesture of obeisance.
The taller of the pair, at around 3.5 inches, has realistically modeled Black features and a gentle expression.
These figures are part of a harem series by the German maker Willian Goebel. Here are some of that scarce series from my collection. In the center is the sultan smoking a pipe. He has molded golden slippers similar to those worn by the two children and his original dark gold cloth turban. Now clad only in his molded loincloth with painted "gems," he no doubt at one point was dressed, most likely in silken harem pants and some sort of top or vest. The graceful gesturing woman next to him has a similar molded loincloth and retains only her elaborate original wig. To her left is a smaller sultana feeding her pet parrot still dressed in her original (if melting) harem parts and tall turban. The only other harem inhabitant in her original outfit is the lovely lounging lady with a molded fan. The lissome lass lying next to her plays a molded tambourine and the kneeling beauty, who has been redressed and re-wigged, admires herself in a mirror. Without the silk and golden braid clothing, often lost to the decades, it may be difficult to determine whether a bisque beauty belongs on the beach or in a harem, but often the ladies of the harem series hold an object and have heeled slippers in unusual colors, like lilac or turquoise. Goebel bathing belles generally went barefoot or wore ballet-type bathing shoes, plus, unlike companies such as Galluba and Hofmann, who dressed its bathers in suits of net, Goebel's seaside sirens had their swimsuits painted on, typically in broad stripes.
There is one other inhabitant, just to the sultan's right, a very dark-skinned boy in his original oversized turban. His shredded blue harem pants expose the molded pants underneath and his molded slippers have upturned toes In his hands he holds a small silk pillow. This charming child is the stereotypical "Nubian serving boy" often found in the imaginary Orientalist imagery of the West.
Whether such children actually existed in Eastern harems, this image is found in western art from the 1700s to well into the 20th century. In 18th century Europe aristocrats often flaunted their wealth by purchasing a young Black boy as a servant or page and dressing him in a flamboyant turban and colorful costly clothing. Willam Hogarth satirized this fashion in his 1742 painting, "Taste of the High Life," as seen in this detail.
An enslaved serving boy is pictured again in Hogarth's six-painting series, "Marriage-A-la-Mode." This detail is from the fourth painting in the series, "The Toilette."
The Nubian boy serving his sultry sultana also often appeared in the exotic imagery of Austrian bronzes.
This 1912 pochoir by artist George Lepape illustrating Paul Poiret's Orientalist-inspired fashions includes a Nubian serving boy, as if to emphasize the link between East and West.
