This Girl is on Fire
Woman as Goddess
Curated by Emma Krasnopoler

Edouard Manet, Olympia, 1863

Olympia, inspired by Titian’s Venus of Urbino, confronts viewers in a blatantly sexual repose. Her blank stare and exposed flesh is unsettling, rather than arousing. There is something lifeless and distant about her, not even close to the virginal, doe-eyed look that women were supposed to have. This woman, unmistakably a prostitute, defies the standard image of women: innocent, feminine, weak. She is, rather, fierce, independent, hardened – a modern woman in a vintage pose.

I say “modern” for two main reasons. The first is her physical appearance. Unlike her “Venus” counterpart, Olympia is just like any girl. She is thinner than most women of the time, which was thought to be unattractive and unhealthy. Her skin does not glow like that of a goddess, and her hair is modestly pulled back. She has had to work to survive, and the hardships of her life are not hidden from viewers. While many people found the painting repulsive and shocking at its first reception, the most shocking thing about Olympia is how human she is. She is not venerated, nor idealized; Olympia is ordinary. However, despite her lack of godliness, she still commands attention in a way that is unheard of for women. She is naked, but not vulnerable. Exposed, but in control. Olympia is a woman that everyone knows. Whether you like her or not, she commands respect. She is real, she is resolute, and she is not going anywhere.