Facts about Olympia by Édouard Manet

1. 06

   France acquired Olympia by Édouard Manet for the Louvre in 1890 after a public subscription organized by Claude Monet raised funds to purchase it from the artist's widow.

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2. 05

   A black cat with an arched back appears at the foot of the bed in Olympia by Édouard Manet, replacing the dog symbol of fidelity found in Titian's source composition.

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3. 04

   Édouard Manet drew direct inspiration for Olympia from Titian's Venus of Urbino, deliberately echoing its composition while subverting its idealized classical tone.

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4. 03

   Victorine Meurent, Manet's favorite model, posed as the reclining nude in Olympia, appearing in several of his other major works as well.

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5. 02

   The painting now hangs in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, where it remains one of the most celebrated works in the collection.

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6. 01

   Manet's Olympia caused a scandal at the 1865 Paris Salon by depicting a nude woman staring boldly at the viewer, challenging traditional reclining nude conventions.

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