Photo : Maison de Balzac / Paris Musées
From the Vine to the Glass. Wine in Balzac's Work
Omnipresent in 19th-century society, wine emerges as a recurring motif in Balzac's work: it tells the story of an era, reveals social ambitions, and accompanies both pleasures and excesses. The exhibition "From the Vine to the Glass. Wine in Balzac's Work," presented by the Maison de Balzac, highlights this abundant presence of wine in the Balzacian universe.
Maison de Balzac musée et bibliothèque (Paris 16th)
About
Through more than 80 works and objects (paintings, engravings, posters, winemaking equipment, and tableware), the exhibition highlights Balzac's reflection on viticulture and the place of wine in the French art of living, from daily moments to grand occasions.
In the 19th century, wine, like bread, was a pillar of the diet. A symbol of quality of life, it was also perceived as a public health issue. At the same time, the growth of the vineyard was accompanied by major technical and commercial innovations, making wine a source of wealth.
Balzac offers a pluralistic reading of it, by turns economic, sociological, and artistic, without ever adopting a moralistic stance, through a wide diversity of literary forms: brief journalistic essays like the Treatise on Modern Stimulants; novels largely devoted to the subject (The Illustrious Gaudissart; Eugénie Grandet); evocations on the turn of a page (The Muse of the Department; Lost Illusions; The Rabouilleuse...); correspondence to his friends, etc.
The exhibition route unfolds in the museum's 4 exhibition rooms, each dedicated to a specific theme
Our take on this event
Step back into 19th-century Paris through the eyes of Balzac and his fascination with viticulture. From historical artworks to literary fragments, this collection explores how wine became a cornerstone of French culture and daily life.
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