Manet as the father of modern art

Manet is considered a radical artist who was truly interested in truly depicting modern life in Paris. I am of the perception that Manet is a true radical, modern artist in that he drew what he saw and not what other people wanted to see. Based on his Olympia artwork, Manet presents a nude woman, with whom is accompanied with a fully dressed maid. Her gaze is shameless and confrontational and she is more likely to be a prostitute. In the Olympia artwork, Manet forces the audience to acknowledge the changing and distasteful aspects of the modern Parisian lifestyle, an indication of realism.

The reason as to why the Olympia painting can be regarded as a depiction of modern art is because it is based on the idea of exploring new subject matter, new spatial relationships as well as new painterly values, which were a basic characteristic of Manet’s works. The nudity and the shameless gaze is a depiction of the moral values that were present in Paris by then and thus, Manet wanted his audience to have a broader thinking perspective. It is therefore true that Manet was a true radical, modern artist.