ABSTRACT
The intellectual, cultural and conceptual separation of art and commerce is strong. When I mentioned the topic of this chapter to a colleague who had just finished her dissertation on Manet, she was shocked (shocked!) that I would make such a comparison between the master painter and a mere businessman. She insisted that the socio-historical context of Manet and Klein were sufficiently distinct to make simple comparisons facile, and that the intentions of the two men were, of course, completely at odds with each other. Yes, I agree that there are clear differences between the two figures. But I am interested in the connections between Manet the artist and Klein the designer and businessmen. Both were masters in turning diversity into publicity. Both were creative men driven by commercial success aided by strategic marketing techniques. Both gained early success utilising images of women representing prostitutes-Manet with his 1863 nude Olympia, Klein with his use of Brooke Shields who was well known for playing a child prostitute in the movie Pretty Baby. Both are celebrated for bringing concerns with ‘real life’ into their work. If we begin to see the connections between these two exemplars, we gain insight into the permeable boundaries between art and commerce, as well as the role of the image and how it functions within culture. Furthermore, we gain insight into the strategic use of scandal to attract attention, and gain recognition in the effort to create powerful brand images, whether in fashion or art.
