the reclining nude

Throughout history there have been many artists that have helped art take a new turn, as they express their attitudes, beliefs, influences and concerns through their work, this becomes evident through all the ways that the reclining nude is depicted. Titian was the first artist who established the reclining nude by painting his version of an idealized female form as we are able to see in “Venus of urbino” (1538). Edouard Manet was known for challenging his society through his version of the reclining nude recreating it in his work “Olympia” (1863) in order to show the culture of his time. Yasumasa Morimura also appropriated work, recreating manet’s in order to challenge cultures and gender roles in society through his work “futago” (1988). Jean Ingres challenged how the nude was portrayed and positioned, this is evident through his work “la grande odalisque” (1814). In turn the gurilla girls, a well known feminist organization who bring up contemporary issues through the appropriations of Ingre’s work created “what does a girl have to do to get hung” (1989).

The founder of the reclining nude Titian, used traditional methods of oil on canvas to create a work that used no outlines, glowing skin and the curves of a woman to portray his idealized form of a female. His work was created during a period of time in which idealized figures were accepted in society, during high renaissance. Titians work was influenced by poems, myths and the natural world that surrounded him and gives the audience a sense of luxury as we can feel from the background of his work.

Manet is an artist who challenged titans work, he wanted to recreate something in which would reflect the society at the time, in the time of “bustling nightlife” a time in which cafes, brothels and prostitutes where always near by. Manet chose to paint real life as we are able to see in Olympia, this work is a painting of a prostitute, she is structures the same as the lady in Venus of urbino, but the