About my diffusion technique: I use a large sheet of non glare picture frame glass suspended on two light stands. Also, there's a plastic version of non glare picture frame glass. it diffuses less. (And it not so easy to break.)
Yes, the pose is borrowed from a classic painting by Ingres, called La Grande Odalisque. Picasso loved to riff on this painting. A number of photographers have duplicated it down to the last detail. I just borrowed the pose.