Olympia (large plate) 1867

Curator: This is Edouard Manet’s "Olympia (large plate)," a striking etching that now resides in the Harvard Art Museums. The dimensions are rather intimate, around 16 by 24 centimeters. Editor: Intimate indeed. The stark black and white and sketchy lines give it a really raw, almost unsettling feel. Like a stolen glance. Curator: It's a fascinating piece when viewed through the lens of the social conventions of 19th-century Paris. Manet's "Olympia" was scandalous for its direct gaze, challenging the idealized female nude. Editor: Right, and it's not just the gaze, but the accessories! The orchid in her hair, the bracelet, the black cat – they all scream of a woman very much in control of her own narrative. What is she thinking? Curator: Well, Manet was interested in depicting modern life, as opposed to historical or mythological subjects. This piece questions who gets to be seen, and how. Editor: It does that brilliantly. This smaller etching feels even more confrontational, somehow, than the painting. Curator: Precisely. Manet's work constantly pushes boundaries, doesn't it? Editor: It makes one question, doesn't it?