She is nude and being displayed by the djellab, who has the fine head of a brigand accustomed to every sort of abduction and violence; the idea of the eternal soul must not very often have tormented such a bandit.

[1][2]In an art historical context, Harem scenes depicted domestic spaces for the women in the Muslim societies; the males were only included in barbaric and sexual relations.

This painting presents an unspecific Middle Eastern or North African setting in which a man inspects the teeth of a nude Caucasian[3] female slave.

In ancient Rome, a chained and collared man sits under the notice "Cave Canem," Latin for "Beware the Dog."

"[4] Deutsche Welle reported how the painting was used with racist intent, in that it suggestively depicted dark-skinned men with beards and turbans "inspecting the teeth of a nude white woman".