Olympia (large plate)

Manet, Édouard

Olympia (large plate), 1863

Original etching

Édouard Manet — Olympia (large plate). Very rare early-state etching on Van der Ley laid paper (watermark), described as a very early state with the first signature; the lower square line is only faintly indicated and the background is unfinished — provenance to Ph. Burty is recorded. Catalog note stresses extreme rarity (two proofs mentioned).

Image size: 5 1/2" x 8 3/4"

Literature: Harris 52

Description: Édouard Manet’s “Olympia (large plate)” stands as a masterful testament to the artist’s radical vision and technical prowess. This original etching, executed in 1863, captures the audacious spirit of Manet’s iconic subject, rendered here in a rare early state on Van der Ley laid paper. The composition is marked by a delicately indicated lower square line and an evocatively unfinished background, underscoring the immediacy of Manet’s hand and intent. With its first signature and provenance linked to the esteemed Ph. Burty, this impression is of exceptional rarity—only two proofs of this state are noted in the literature. “Olympia (large plate)” is a pivotal work that embodies the bold innovation and enduring influence of Manet within the canon of modern art.

$ 16,000