In 1865, Édouard Manet’s 'Olympia' caused a riot at the Paris Salon. While the public was used to seeing nudes in art, they were typically idealized goddesses. Manet’s subject was clearly a modern Parisian prostitute, staring directly at the viewer with a confrontational, unashamed gaze. Critics were horrified by her 'dirty' skin tones and the lack of traditional perspective. However, Manet’s work was a deliberate break from Academic art, signaling the birth of Modernism. He chose to paint life as it was, rather than as it should be. The painting inspired a generation of Impressionists to abandon mythological subjects and find beauty in the grit and reality of modern life.