TheOldMastersPrintsOlympia by Édouard Manet: meaning, location and key facts
Olympia is an oil on canvas by Édouard Manet, painted in 1863. It measures 130.5 × 191 cm and is held at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris.
Key facts
| Artist | Édouard Manet |
|---|---|
| Date | 1863 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 130.5 × 191 cm (height × width) |
| Museum | Musée d'Orsay, Paris |
| Style | Realism |
| Data source | Wikidata (Q737062) · Wikipedia |
What it shows
A naked woman reclines on a bed and looks straight at the viewer without modesty. She wears a black ribbon around her neck, a bracelet and a flower in her hair. Her maid brings her a bouquet, probably from a client, and at her feet a black cat arches its back.
Manet reworked Titian’s Venus of Urbino: the sleeping dog of the original, a symbol of fidelity, becomes a cat. Olympia was a common name among Parisian prostitutes, and the public immediately understood who she was.
Did you know?
- It was painted in 1863 but shown at the Salon of 1865, where it had to be guarded to protect it from attacks.
- The model was Victorine Meurent, the same as in Luncheon on the Grass.
- In 1890 Claude Monet organised a subscription among friends to buy it and donate it to the French state.
Where to see the original
Olympia is at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris. Works are sometimes lent to exhibitions or taken down for restoration, so it is worth checking the museum’s website before you go.
Which print size to choose
The print keeps the proportions of the original: if they differ from the paper, the painting is centred with a white border and never cropped. More details in our size guide.
| A4 (21 × 29.7 cm) | shelves, desks and gallery walls |
|---|---|
| A3 (29.7 × 42 cm) | bedrooms, hallways and small walls |
Prints are made to order in the Czech Republic and reach the EU in 3 to 8 days, with no customs. Canvases are made in the USA and take about 2 to 3 weeks, with EU VAT included in the price.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Olympia?
- The original is held at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris.
- How big is Olympia?
- The original painting measures 130.5 × 191 cm (height × width).
- Who painted Olympia and when?
- It was painted by Édouard Manet in 1863.
- Can I hang a reproduction of Olympia at home?
- Yes. The work is in the public domain, so it can be freely reproduced. We offer it as a matte print in A4, A3 (from €18.99) and as a ready-to-hang canvas (from €55.99), with free shipping to the EU.
Updated 21 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Message us through the shop and we will fix it.
