By Léon François Comerre, French Academic School. I think this familiar looking instrument comes from Africa via the Arabic world and is generally called a tanbūr. A sort of distant uncle to the modern banjo, America’s African instrument.
The only thing missing is the drone string.
Interesting and also being someone who tailors clothing I’m trying to figure out her white ‘blouse’ which appears to be two scarves draped up over her breasts, over her shoulders then through the BACK of her vest armholes to drape over the arms of the chair she is sitting in. …an idea for a blouse I’ve never seen before. The table is also a nice example of wood marquetry…very interesting painting all around.
I think it’s mostly artistic fantasy. Part of the weird Orientalist School where Westerners make Romantic fiction about things beyond Europe. She, and her surroundings, just really struck me.
I follow quite a few art blogs. I think I found her here: https://orientalismblog.wordpress.com/