It was not the fact that Olympia was portrayed as being completely naked that astonished viewers when they first saw the painting, but rather her direct gaze at the viewer that was regarded as almost confrontational.
Victorine Meurent, the woman that served as the model for Olympia, would have been recognizable by observers of this work of art because she was a prominent figure in Parisian society.
Manet’s Olympia painting was produced 15 years after the abolition of slavery in France, but prejudices about black people lingered among certain sectors of French society.
Olympia is gazing directly at the observer, but her servant is also looking back. Catherine West states in her article that by adopting an oppositional gaze, we may recognize, analyze, reject, and alter these and other oppressive representations of Black women.
Olympia is adorned with a bracelet and pearl necklace, both of which are signs of luxury and affluence. These accouterments imply that Olympia’s services as a prostitute are in high demand.
Manet’s Olympia painting shares many characteristics with Venus of Urbino (1538) by Titian. It, too, features a naked woman reclining on a bed, with maids in the background and a pet on the bed.
Maja Desnuda by Goya depicts a reclining female nude in a more traditional and idealized style. The figure is sensual and gently portrayed, evoking the typical portrayal of female appeal.
The Olympia painting defied the conventional artistic traditions of the time. Manet abandoned romanticized depictions of feminine nudity in favor of a far more realistic and confronting image.