Illustration
The 1863 oil on canvas painting, Olympia, by Edouard Manet (1832-83), the French modernist painter. The painting was exhibited in the 1865 Salon in Paris and shocked the art world for its presentation of a contemporary courtesan fully nude and with an unabashed stare. Her nudity is accentuated by the black choker while the black cat was a known symbol of desire. The figure is Manet’s long-time model Victorine Meurent. Manet employs several innovations: he uses unusual colours, the two figures seem to move towards the viewer, and the composition is given a certain flatness. (Musée d'Orsay, Paris)
Cite This Work
APA Style
d'Orsay, M. (2022, March 11). Olympia by Manet. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/15389/olympia-by-manet/
Chicago Style
d'Orsay, Musée. "Olympia by Manet." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified March 11, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/15389/olympia-by-manet/.
MLA Style
d'Orsay, Musée. "Olympia by Manet." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 11 Mar 2022. Web. 19 Feb 2025.