Olympia draws on the long history of the reclining female nude, bringing their themes and techniques into contemporary times. Manet was influenced some some highly recognizable reclining female nudes such as Titian's Venus of Urbino and Goya's Maja desnuda, yet his actual subject matter is entirely of its times. Instead of building up a mythos around the reclined woman, Manet explicitly depicts her as a sex worker awaiting a client. She is a woman at work, not bothering to look seductively at the viewer, or to proffer herself to them in hopes that they will find her appealing, instead her sits somewhat rigidly to conduct a transaction. The serving woman bring her a large bouquet of flowers, likely from a client, but Olympia is unmoved in his absence. Manet intentionally made Olympia's body somewhat washed out, influenced by the introduction of the daguerreotype, he flattened her body and omitted details rather the same way the bright flash of the early photography tool would have.
SKU: 9675
Creator: Edouard Manet
Date: 1863
Original Medium: oil on canvas
Location: Musée d'Orsay