11/18/10 - In 1865, when Edouard Manet exhibited his painting "Olympia", Parisians were horrified by the frank representation of a nude courtesan.  In his upcoming It's in the Bag lecture, Oregon State University - Cascades Distinguished Professor of Art History Henry Sayre will explore how art historians have approached the painting as a critique of Parisian morals and sexuality, when the painting’s real theme may have been slavery and the American Civil War.  The lunchtime lecture takes place on Wednesday, December 1, from 12:00 to 1:00pm in Cascades Hall, Room 118.

As Manet was finishing his famed portrait, the American Civil War was in full swing.  France was not unaffected; the Union blockade left the cotton industry without raw materials and mills closed their doors.  Emperor Louis Napoleon sympathized openly with the South and Southern warships frequented French ports.  Sayre will examine reactions to the painting and the surprising little attention paid to the black maid in the portrait. He’ll also explore other works Manet painted in the same time period, notably two of the USS Kearsarge which was involved in battle.   Sayre will demonstrate how “Olympia” is a deeply political painting and one that calls into question the sympathies of Manet’s contemporaries with the Confederacy.

Henry Sayre received a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University and a doctorate from the University of Washington. Before coming to OSU in 1983, he taught at Wake Forest University. He has received teaching and service awards, and numerous grants and fellowships, including three from the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 1997, he completed production of a multimedia teaching package for art appreciation, funded by a $1.2 million grant from the Annenberg Foundation at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that included a 10-part television series, “Works in Progress”, co-produced with Oregon Public Broadcasting.  It first aired on PBS in 1997. He is the author nine books, including an art appreciation text, A World of Art, a writing guide, Writing about Art, both in their sixth editions, and the six-volume The Humanities: Culture, Continuity, and Change, about to be published in its second edition. Sayre has published widely in national and international journals. His research focuses on the arts and their interrelations, particularly on contemporary genres such as performance and installation

It’s in the Bag lectures are free and no reservation is needed. Complimentary beverages will be available. Audience members are asked to pick-up a free parking pass from the main office before parking.  For information visit http://www.osucascades.edu/lunchtime-lectures  or contact 541-322-3100 or info@osucascades.edu.