Arts and Tarts III

When this painting by Edouard Manet was first exhibited at the 1865 Paris Salon it created total uproar. Conservatives condemned the work as ‘immoral’ and ‘vulgar,’ others sought to have the canvas destroyed mainly because the woman depicted was a tart. Proving from time immemorial the hypocrisy of men who through their philandering keep prostitution alive and yet claim to be horrified when confronted by its manifestations publicly.


Not only did the painting not conform to the concept of beauty at the time, Manet had borrowed the design of Titian’s Venus of Urbino to depict a well know Paris prostitute called Olympia.


What shocked contemporary audiences was not Olympia's nudity, nor even the presence of her fully clothed maid, but her confrontational gaze and a number of details identifying her as a demi-mondaine, courtesan or as we like to say tart.. These include the orchid in her hair (symbolic of the vulva), her bracelet, pearl earrings, single pearl necklace and the oriental shawl on which she lies, symbols of wealth and sensuality. The black ribbon around her neck, in stark contrast with her pale flesh, and her cast-off slipper underline the voluptuous atmosphere. Whereas Titian's Venus delicately covers her vulva, Olympia's hand firmly protects hers, as if to emphasize her independence and sexual dominance over men. The models’ extremely white skin is a reference to the fact that prostitutes were known in France as filles de marbre – girls of marble.

Olympia disdainfully ignores the flowers presented to her by her servant, probably a gift from a client. Some have suggested that she is looking in the direction of the door, as her client barges in unannounced.


Manet replaced the little dog (symbol of fidelity) in Titian's painting with a black cat, which symbolized prostitution. Establishing the inextricable link between pearls and pussy? The cat has often been linked with the poem Le Chat -The Cat by Charles Baudelaire who was a friend of Manet especially the lines:

‘In spirit I see my woman. Her Gaze, like yours, dear creature, deep and cold, cuts and splits like a dart.’


Strangely since then many women have chosen to emulate Olympia: