Description
Olympia reclines across the left and center of this large etched composition, with a maid presenting flowers at the right and a black cat near the far edge. Strong hatching gives the print a darker surface than a simple outline study. Manet holds the figures within a close arrangement, allowing the reclining body and its attendants to remain mutually defining presences.
The design dates to January–May 1867, while this etching on blue laid paper belongs to the Strölin edition of 1905 and represents its third and final state. That distinction separates the composition’s creation from this later publication. The print translates the subject into a graphic medium rather than presenting the sheet as an oil painting. Its interest lies in the altered balance of line and darkness, where familiar forms acquire a particular printed character.
Read our guide to giclée prints, browse more Édouard Manet prints, or explore Olympia (small plate).
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