Francesco Hayez's unpublished masterpiece, Interior of a Harem (1840), is an important addition to the catalogue of this great Italian artist, a protagonist of the Romanticism. In this striking painting, made for one of his major Austrian clients, Countess Nákó of Vienna, Hayez takes us into a world of refined seduction and theatricality, with a subject that was very dear to him. In the main group, the sultan is complacently gazing at a magnificent Western woman who has just joined the harem, whose youth and purity embody ideal beauty. Portrayed with a grace that expresses all of her femininity, the protagonist is Hayez’s favourite muse, who had already appeared in other iconic works by the artist such as Odalisca and Malinconia. Around her, other odalisques help to create a romantic and sensual atmosphere. The painting closes around an extraordinary scene, of a great scenic effect, framed by the painter between a rich curtain, a wooden backdrop typical of the Harem, and a softly blurred landscape on the horizon. The skilful use of perspective and the contrast between light and shadow add depth and magic to the scene. Painted at the height of Hayez's success, this work is a refined example of 19th-century Orientalism in its ability to enhance female beauty in all its nuances and to depict the sumptuousness of costume with almost miniaturist precision.