Nana

Both the title and numerous details suggest that this picture represents a high-class prostitute and her client. Nana was a popular name in the second half of the 19th century for a woman who was a harlot; and the French word "nana" is still used to describe a frivolous woman. The symbolism used by the painter is ambiguous. The phallic shape of the stick in the man's hands and the presentation of an ibis on the tapestry, considered an unclean bird in the Bible, are controversial elements. Extinguished candles may suggest a lack of affection and love. Manet wanted to present the painting at the Salon of Paris, but it was rejected because it was deemed to be contemptuous of the morality of the time. French society was not prepared for such a frank depiction of prostitution; and the critics did not see the artistic qualities of the work, concentrating solely on the scene represented.