The new favorite (Harem scene) 1866

Francesco Hayez painted "The New Favorite" with oils on canvas, and in doing so, he drew on a rich set of associations. Hayez makes the act of painting seem effortless. It seems like he wants us to admire the scene depicted, not the artist’s work in creating it. But consider the labor involved: the grinding of pigments, the stretching of the canvas, the mixing of varnishes. All these processes are hidden beneath the painting’s surface, yet they contributed to its aura of luxury. The orientalist fantasy is enabled by the labor involved, yet also obscures it. In this way, the painting itself becomes an object of consumption, just like the people and objects depicted in the harem scene. By focusing on Hayez's technique, we are reminded of the social and economic conditions that made the painting possible. This awareness challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.