Olympia 1923

This is Edouard Manet's "Olympia," an ink drawing. Manet was a pivotal figure in the shift from Realism to Impressionism in 19th-century France. Manet's "Olympia," like his earlier painting "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe," challenged the artistic norms of his time by depicting contemporary subjects with unflinching realism. The painting sparked considerable controversy due to its representation of a nude woman, presumed to be a courtesan, gazing directly at the viewer. The figure of Olympia is a modern reimagining of the reclining Venus, a common subject in classical art. Unlike those idealized depictions, Manet's Olympia is a real woman with a palpable presence. The inclusion of a black cat rather than a dog at the foot of the bed and a bouquet of flowers brought by a client further allude to her profession. Manet's Olympia challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about gender, class, and power in 19th-century France. It is a reflection of the societal hypocrisy and the commodification of women that was both personal and controversial.