My final research paper is going to be on Manet’s Olympia, and how the scandal of his confrontational nude was considered an affront to French society at the time. I am going to focus on Manet’s reasons for depicting Olympia in such a manner that caused such outrage in the French public while defending his artistic decisions.
Thesis: Manet’s Olympia confronts the audience with her brazen sexuality, but this should not have caused alarm for respectable French society considering that Manet wanted to show his view on the natural world.
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July 9, 2009 at 4:18 pm |
Your thesis is very unique. I admit I had to look up the painting just now and I can see the reason for the contrevesy considering the painting was done in 1863. It was also interesting to see that the Black servant almost blended in the background diminishing her existing yet making the flower appear more noticeable.
July 9, 2009 at 9:03 pm |
your thesis sounds very interesting. you may want to look at the history of the venus paintings which is where manet is said to have derived his conception for the olympia painting. the venus paintings, also naked and in the same reclining position, were actually very prevalent in Italian society nearly 200 years earlier than Manet’s work. perhaps you might discuss what made French society uniquely conservative?
July 9, 2009 at 9:33 pm |
I am intererested in how you will establish the link between the impact of Olympia and a censored movie, especially in discussing how a painting ( strictly visual) upsets the social order in the way a movie ( both visual and most importantly dialogue-based) accomplished the same end. Great topic idea.
Good Luck
July 10, 2009 at 12:20 pm |
Your topic sounds very interesting and I would look forward to read your paper and what kind of evidence you will use to support your thesis.
July 10, 2009 at 2:13 pm |
you thesis is awesome, i was just wondering if you were going to relate that instance to scarface and the hays office because i guess they kinda correlate. but good luck and im sure whatever you do will be successful.