In 1922 Matisse, who had madealmost no lithographs since 1914,embarked on a series of nudes inspired withan Oriental theme. He had travelled in Arablands and employed Islamic decorsurrounding these. By the end of 1925 hehad made almost 50 prints averagingaround 10 a year. His depiction of thefemale figures were described as as“Odalisques”. They are all nude or scantilyclothed models often dressed in summerfrocks as they sit beside bouquets of flowersor incline on couches.An odalisque (Turkish: odalık ) was aChambermaid or a female attendant in aTurkish seraglio, particularly the court ladiesin the household of the Ottoman Sultan. Ifan odalık was of extraordinary beauty or hadexceptional talents in dancing or singing, she would be trained as a possible concubine. If selected, an odalık trained as a court lady would serve the sultan sexually and only after such sexual contact would she change in status, becoming thenceforth one of the consorts of the sulta