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odyArtworks are a reflection of the culture in which they are made. Throughout history, artists have manifestly depicted the society that surrounds them and as time has progressed, artists have continually alluded to the values and restrictions that society has placed. Manet’s Olympia, Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party and Orlan’s Orlan Gives Birth to her Loved Self, all represent various ideas and interest through the development of a visual language. As society has evolved, the depiction of the human body has gradually moved from the modest and passive representation of the Renaissance to the grotesque and visceral portrayals of the post modern era.
The Renaissance was a period astoundingly creative and intellectual. It was in this era that the convention of the reclining nude was established as a subject. Titian provides a paradigm demonstrating the values and practises of artists from this period. One of his most acclaimed works Venus of Urbino was later appropriated by the modernist artist Manet: Manet depicted the notion of defying the expectations of society. His works breached the codes of morality and tradition and he astounded many by the realness in his subjects. Manet created a work he thought would grant him a place in the pantheon of great artists. However, instead of following the accepted practice in French art, which dictates that paintings of the figure are to be modelled on historical, mythical, or biblical themes, Many chose to paint a woman of his time – not a feminine ideal, but a real woman. He painted her in his own manner: in place of the smooth shading of the great masters, his forms are painted quickly, in rough brushstrokes clearly visible on the surface of the canvas. Instead of the carefully constructed perspective that leads the eye deep into the space of the painting; Manet offers a picture frame flattened into two planes. The foreground is the glowing white body of Olympia on the bed; the background is darkness.
Manet’s Olympia – the