Wine in Art - Drink With Your Eyes

Human beings have valued wine for thousands of years, as they have valued painting and sculpture. The depiction throughout history of wine in paintings, drawings and sculpture is widespread from ancient cave wall paintings to the modern, bespoke cellar murals we see nowadays.

Whether drinking a glass of wine, or painting a picture, one must be in a mode of serenity or calm, i.e totally relaxed. As we know, alcohol is a great catalyst for relaxation, this in turn softens our mood which ultimately enhances creativity - or does it?

The wine drinker would say yes, but the artist, I think, may disagree. He needs all his faculties to concentrate on his work - oh, maybe just one glass!

Over time, the connection between art and wine has often been made. To be sure, many winemakers view themselves as "Artists" and without exception these are the folks that take themselves a bit too seriously. Any winemaker worth his salt will acknowledge that they are stewarding a natural process. A course that Mother Nature will take with or without them, and the winemakers job is much more about process management than it is about creating art.

Yet, art has entered into the wine frame in many other ways. Of course, the old world offers many physical places where art and wine intersect. In 1945 one well known Bordeaux producer, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, began selecting a different artwork for each vintage. Vertical collections of Mouton are as valuable for their label art as their wine. Lots of other wineries have taken works of art and shrunk them down onto a label in an effort to create "collectors pieces". (See The Art of the Wine Label)

I believe that probably the strongest connection between art and wine is more about the potential common ethos of artist and wine producer, than the physical combination on a label. Perhaps there could be a paradigm shift with the art imitating the wine bottle and not the label imitating the art?

Picture above is an Limited Edition Signed Hand-Embellished work on Canvas by Alex Platune

Georg Flegel was a German painter, best known for his still life works. He was born in Olmütz (Olomouc), Moravia. Around 1580 he moved to Vienna, where he became the assistant to Lucas van Valckenborch I, a painter and draughtsman. Flegel and his employer later moved to Frankfurt, which at the time was an important art-dealing city. As an assistant, he inserted items such as fruit, flowers, and table utensils into Valckenborch's works.

In a period of about 30 years (c. 1600-1630), he produced 110 watercolor pictures, mostly still life images which often depicted tables set for meals and covered with food, wine, flowers, and the occasional animal.

Sebastian Vrancx was a Flemish Baroque painter and etcher of the Antwerp school. He was an apprentice in the workshop of Adam van Noort, who also trained many illustrious painters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Jacob Jordaens and Hendrik van Balen. He also visited the workshop of the Antwerp painter Paul Bril in Rome around 1600.

Diego Velázquez was a Spanish painter who was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV. He was an individualistic artist of the contemporary baroque period, important as a portrait artist. In addition to numerous renditions of scenes of historical and cultural significance, he painted scores of portraits of the Spanish royal family, other notable European figures, and commoners, culminating in the production of his masterpiece Las Meninas (1656).

From the first quarter of the nineteenth century, Velázquez's artwork was a model for the realist and impressionist painters, in particular Édouard Manet. Since that time, more modern artists, including Spain's Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí, as well as the Anglo-Irish painter Francis Bacon, have paid tribute to Velázquez by recreating several of his most famous works.

These charming and colourful lithographs of the great wine estates of Bordeaux were painted by Charles Mozley (1914-1991), a prolific British commercial artist who graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1937 and achieved modest renown as one of the leading poster book jacket designers from the 1950s through to the 1970s.

He did a substantial body of work for the wine trade and these lithographs are from an original set of 25, all published as a limited edition of 150 by 'Christie Wine Publications' in association with 'Hedges and Butler Ltd'. They are printed on 'BK Rives France' paper.


Chateau AusonexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxChateau Beychevelle


Chateau PalmerxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxChateau Lafite


Chateau LascombesxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxChateau d'Yquem

Photorealism is the genre of painting based on making a painting of a photograph. The term is primarily applied to paintings from the United States photorealism art movement that began in the late 1960s, early 1970s. More recently, a splinter art movement called hyperrealism has developed.

As a full-fledged art movement, Photorealism evolved from Pop Art, and as a counter to Abstract Expressionism as well as Minimalist art movements. It is also sometimes labeled as Super-Realism, New Realism, Sharp Focus Realism or Hyper-Realism.

This fine art piece 'Study For Better Life III' is available from fineart.com.

Figurative
Medium: Giclee On Canvas
Edition Copies: 195
WxH: 28.5 x 22.5 inches

Fabian Perez was born in Buenos Aires in 1967 and brought up in the small but dynamic Argentinian city of Campana 50 miles outside the capital. From the age of nine he felt at home holding a paintbrush, producing surprisingly mature portraits of family and friends.

Although he admires various schools of art including the Impressionists, Fabian is reluctant to have his work categorised. It is perhaps best to refer to his own description - Emotionalism - which best sums up his uniquely expressive style. Having experimented extensively with watercolour, tempura and acrylics he settled some years ago on oils as his preferred medium, as he believes they allow him to achieve the atmosphere of compressed energy and passion within his work, and allows his beautifully described figures to live and breath on the canvas.

Art by fabianperez.com

Linda Paul's original wine art paintings are painted in many layers of pure egg tempera made from natural ground stones and egg yolk. Linda Paul uses lapis lazuli, malachite and ochers from ancient mines in Europe to make her paint. Some paintings are first sculpted in bas-relief before being painted in egg tempera. These paintings will last for centuries!

Read more about egg tempera.

PIGMENT COLLECTING
Les Ocres de France is the only remaining European company operating the ocher deposits in the French quarries of Gargas and Rustrel, nested in a 12 miles long enclave, in the heart of the Luberon Mountains, the ocher country.

Paul collects rock samples and grinds them into a fine dust from which the impurities are then filtered. A small quantity of the crushed mineral is then mixed with egg yolk for painting. Each mineral has it own set of properties and idiosyncrasies particular to it.


CANVAS PRINT INFORMATION
Each canvas art print is individually created in the Studio using pigmented archival inks & canvas. Every print is numbered & hand-signed by the artist! Edition size is only 500 of each size. Print comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

STYLE
When people ask her what style she paints, its a two part answer that does not fit neatly into any one existing category. Her work is a combination of "chunky realism" and impressionist painting. She likes to juxtapose sculpted bas-relief products of nature (the chunky part) against soft impressionist landscapes of their origins.

'Wine and Art'

Limited Edition Giclee Canvas Art Prints.

Above is the original

Art by Linda Paul www.lindapaul.com

About this Painting:

"Napa Alfresco"

Eric Christensen has created another masterful work of art, "Napa Alfresco", a hyper realistic watercolor wine art painting. "Napa Alfresco" tells a story of a warm afternoon at one of your favorite outdoor Cafés. You can hear and see the surrounding garden café and patrons mirrored in the wine glasses. While contemplating your favorite wine you notice the large umbrella reflected in the tops of the wine bottles. Lost in anticipation of enjoying your favorite wine and food you are interrupted by the waiter uncorking the bottle. The time has come. Bon appétit!

Napa Alfresco by Eric Christensen

Napa Valley visitors can get a double dose of Wine Country culture at some of the many local wineries offering a museum-quality art with their wine tastings.

As avid collectors, many of Napa Valley's winery owners have put incredible personal collections of sculpture, fabric arts and paintings on public display in tasting rooms, caves and throughout their vineyards. Usually available for perusal at no charge, these unlikely galleries have some of the most impressive modern and regional art around.

Below are some examples of Napa Valley vineyard beauty caught on canvas.

Napa Valley & Vineyard Art

Some vineyards have deliberately set out to produce art on their labels and this is the story of one of them, Château Mouton Rothschild.

In 1924 Baron Philippe de Rothschild had the idea of entrusting the illustrating of the label that would adorn the first bottling of the Chateau to Jean Carlu, a famous artist of the time.

To celebrate the end of the war in 1945, it was decided to crown the label of that vintage with a "V" for Victory drawn by a young artist called Philippe Jullian. This started a tradition and from 1946 every year (except 1953 and 1977) a contemporary artist has been invited to create the label for the vintage of that year.

The owners of Mouton have always respected the freedom of creation of the artists although some artists included certain themes, the vine, the pleasure of drink, and the emblem of the Rothschild ram.

The artists don't get paid money for their contributions but in cases of Mouton Rothschild, of their vintage of course. In 1981, the Baronne Philippine de Rothschild had the idea of letting the public see this extraordinary art collection, so she organised an exhibition called "L'Art et l'Etiquette" (The Art and the Label) that was welcomed by a number of museums and galleries around the world.

The Picasso label of 1973 commemorated the granting of Premier Cru classification to Mouton Rothschild and from 1975 the labels give details of the vintage including the number of bottles, magnums, jereboams and imperials produced (see bottle sizes). All the labels also bear the signature of Baron Philippe de Rothschild.

Mouton Rothschild labels

Adding touches of art to your wine cellar can enhance not only your experience retrieving wines or managing your inventory by making your cellar a more welcoming place. But art can also help you create a tasting room or a special space where you may bring valued guests to share your wine enthusiasm. Art may also help increase your property's value.

One of the first things many wine cellar owners think of when considering art is wall art, namely framed paintings and possibly murals. This is a good place to begin.

Paintings may be selected from a variety of sources, depending on your particular decorating style. You can contact local artists, visit art galleries, or even enlist the aid of an interior designer. You can also buy framed art reproductions online from art outlets such as Art.co.uk, or from art museums or galleries.

If you are looking for wine themed art, your options may be more restricted. One artist, Linda Paul, offers a variety of original wine paintings and canvas art prints. She captures the alure of wine bottles, wine glasses, and even wine and cheese in a variety of still life compositions. She also is able to bring the Tuscan wine country to your wine cellar through a variety of still life and landscape concepts. Paul's paintings are unique in that she uses layers of egg tempera made from finely ground stones (lapis lazuli, malachite, and a variety of ochers) from ancient mines in Europe and bound together with egg yolk. This is an ancient form of making paint and will last for centuries. Her wine prints are crafted with archival inks on canvas and are reproductions of her original egg tempera art. They are numbered and hand signed. (There are only 500 of each print made.)

by Janie Franz

There are a wide selection of posters depicting vineyard scenes from all over the world, here are two to give you a taste.

This fine art print is produced on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, using post-consumer and sustainably sourced paper, and soy-based inks.

Vineyard Hill Art Print
Craig, Philip
Buy at AllPosters.com




This fine art canvas print has been museum-wrapped around 0.5" wood stretcher bars, and finished with handpainted white edges.

Provence II Stretched Canvas Print
Webb, Poul
Buy at AllPosters.com




Sung Kim creates inviting storybook settings that radiate charm and tranquility. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Kim was inspired by European travels before becoming a United States citizen in 1980. Working from his own studio after graduating from college with honors, Kim created illustrations for magazines and children's books. He has won many awards, including one from the mayor of Seoul. Kim has painted more than 400 landscapes, and worked with fine art galleries for 20 years.

Vineyard Village Art Print
Kim, Sung
Buy at AllPosters.com

Clip art, in the graphic arts, refers to pre-made images used to illustrate any medium. Today, clip art is used extensively in both personal and commercial projects, ranging from home-printed greeting cards to commercial candles. Clip art comes in many forms, both electronic and printed. However, most clip art today is created, distributed, and used in an electronic form. Since its inception, clip art has evolved to include a wide variety of content, file formats, illustration and styles. Clip art is generally composed exclusively of illustrations (created by hand or by computer software), and does not include stock photography.

Esquibel, Joe
Buy at AllPosters.com

Garant, Jennifer
Buy at AllPosters.com

Tuscan Vineyard and Village

Buy From Art.com

These rolling hills of beautiful Tuscany are bathed in warm sunlight. The perched village overlooks the vineyard and fields of poppies and lavender. This painting is one of a pair. The other, Tuscan Vineyard and Abbey.

ARTISTS STATEMENT
Marilyn Bast Dunlap is an incurable romantic, She translates ordinary street scenes and countrysides into magical images. Like the song of the Sirens, she invites us to be seduced by her cafes, bistros, narrow alley ways and color soaked landscapes. In the artist words, "When I am painting, I feel as if I am there. I can smell the Fromagerie, taste the Chocolat, and long for a good seat at the Bistro De Bastille. Painting is the next best thing to being there! I have accomplished my purpose, if I can bring to one's senses a longing to be there."

BIOGRAPHY
Over the years she has painted in oils, water colors and acrylics. She now paints exclusively in acrylics on masonite, as this medium allows her to pay meticulous attention to detail. As a Romantic Realist, Marilyn strives to find a delicate balance between magically contrived images and realistic details. Her brightly colored scenes stimulate the senses, yet leave the viewer with a sense of tranquility.

Marilyn and her little black cat, found in her paintings, continue to wander through the villages and countrysides of Europe.

Marilyn Dunlap's work at artistrising.com.

PICASSO On Bad Paintings...

"I like all painting. I always look at the paintings - good or bad - in barbershops, furniture stores, provincial hotels...I'm like a drinker who needs wine. As long as it is wine, it doesn't matter which wine."

Guttuso, Journals, Quoted in Mario De Micheli, 1964

Stormhoek Winery in Wellington, South Africa has come up with a novel way of selling bottles of wine - they put a customised cartoon on the label.

A wine label is the perfect place to put any form of artwork on to, as most wine drinkers will review the label just as much as the wine itself. It is a great way for the wineries to get messages out. After all, you've seen what Château Mouton Rothschild did with their labels way back in 1924!

House cartoonist, Hugh MacLeod has been commissioned to do limited edition lithographs for Stoemhoek for a number of years now. You can see more of his original designs here.

Here are a few examples:

Why not create your own lens for FREE today!

Just click the image, and join the community!