La Grande Odalisque and Olympia: Comparison/Contrast

ii exquisite paintings with a effeminate reclining nude statue as the focal point are La Grande Odalisque by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres and Olympia by douard Manet. The female nude has been a crucial subject for art end-to-end history. The angular curves and the sensuality that can be created with just a form has intrigued artist in the past, present, and future. charm the similarities of these twain painting are more evident, there are still contrast between the pieces.Ingres was from France and he painted during the Neoclassical Period, firearm Manet, who was also from France, painted during the Realism and Impressionistic Periods. Their live overlapped each other for only thirty years, tho their styles belonged to different periods. Ingres lived through the French Revolution and was very much stirred by it although Manet was born after it was over.Seeing such a drastic change in the human beings in which he lived caused Ingres to pay very close attention to the detail s of the past. He wanted to exert it perfectly and he also looked to the techniques of the masters before him. Manet was not so much concerned for the past, but his eyes were on the present. His subjects represent the French societal and cultural setting of the time period in which he lived.La Grande Odalisque by Ingres is an oil painting of a l integrity nude female reclining on her bed. Her body faces away from the viewer, while the woman looks back over her shoulder. There is only a coup doeil of her breast under one of her arms and the rounded sides of her buttocks are visible.Olympia by Manet has two females in the oil painting. One is a black servant woman and the reclining female nude. Manet depicted his nude facing the viewer. Her breasts are completely exposed and her genitals are covered by her hand. There is a tropical feel in Manets painting Even though she has covered part of herself, this female seems more open with her nudity and the female in Ingres painting is mor e subtle and alluring with her body.Ingres uses dim shades of green jewel tones to create an elegant effect. Manet also incorporates the color green, but he emphasizes the utter(a) white which allows the female to stand out. The white also gives a harshness to the painting. It is as if someone off on a bright overhead light in the middle of a sensual moment. The pose in Ingres painting tends to blend with her surroundings.Both females hold something with her hand, but Ingres females fan is one of peacock feathers which blends in with the rich tones of the background. At the barefoot of Ingres nude, there is a pipe and green stool, while there is a black cat at the high healed feet of Manets. Manets figure wears an orchid in her hair as well as the shoes. She finds no modesty with the observation of her servants stare and is completely open with her sexuality.The female nude is the predominate subject of both paintings but the differences muse their artist and there artistic pe riods. While they are both alluring, they are also starkly contrasted. Manet and Ingres were decidedly masters of their times, and the La Grande Odalisque and Olympia are examples of both of their best work. Both of these works are alluring and sensual paintings that will mystify viewers as long as the two works exist.