Venus Of Urbino

Nude portraiture has been a canon in the world of art for centuries. Whether it be on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel from the hands of Michelangelo or sketches from an aspiring artist trying get a model’s curves just right, the subject matter of nudity has been a key characteristic in the development of art, an artist’s skills, and consequently the context the nude figure has been portrayed in. As the movements progressed, not only did the stylistic approach to nudity change, but also a shift in the position nude subject matter held in a painting – a transformation from prestige to notoriety. Classical and Neoclassical eras emphasized the ideal nude body, usually a god or goddess. But as time went on and different styles developed, movements

This oil painting was first exhibited in the salon of 1865, and shocked its contemporary audiences but not because of the nudity. Rather, what audiences were shocked at was the illustration of a prostitute with such a strong confrontational gaze. The subject matter being presented to the public was not of royalty or deities; instead, the artist depicted a working class prostitute whose nakedness is emphasized by sharp lighting. Appropriately, painterly brushstrokes comprise details in the flowers the servant is holding, the dark background is muddled creating a stark contrast and flatness between the foreground and background, and various symbols play off of the classic Venus of Urbino. Comparisons between the two show that instead of a child and woman, Olympia has a slave presenting her flowers from her previous client. Instead of a dog representing marital fidelity, Manet inserted a black cat which symbolizing prostitution. The shift from the canonized principles and styling of art can be seen in the greater influence the artist’s own perspective and individuality reflected in their paintings. Artist’s focused more on the banal, the mundane, aspects of daily life that they interacted with on a regular basis and even topics that were more relatable and possibly even from personal

Throughout Realism, Impressionism and even more so with Post-Impressionism, nude figures became a depiction from reality, of average women. Artists shone a light on their subjects portraying it with an abrupt sense of reality with each of their own personal styles. Post-Impressionist Paul Gauguin created an artwork that is also along the lines of Titian’s Venus of Urbino and Manet’s Olympia. His oil on canvas titled L’Esprit des morts veille and more commonly known as Spirit of the Dead Watching is yet another stark illustration of a naked woman. This piece from the artist’s Tahiti period, displays Gauguin’s style of bright color with dark outlines, flat forms, and his primitive ideal. Compared to the other paintings, the woman laying down is on her stomach and in visible fear. Her position takes on the form of a victim, and stems from a real life experience. Paul Gauguin walked in on his wife while in Tahiti, and she was frozen in fear. He created this piece including the spirit of the dead in the background to include the beliefs in Tahitian