Young Lady in 1866

Manet’s model, Victorine Meurent, recently known for her bold roles in Olympia and Luncheon on the Grass now appears in a more intimate and refined guise, wearing a luxurious silk dressing gown. Once seen as a provocative response to Gustave Courbet, the work is today appreciated as a sophisticated allegory of the five senses, where carefully chosen details transform everyday intimacy into layered artistic meaning and timeless appeal.