June, 2019 - Of Art and Wine

Red Wine in Summer: Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party

It is not something we readily think of – drinking red wine in summer. But make no mistake, red wine should not be put away with the winter clothing. It is perfect for summer outings, as we can see in the painting below. Why not have a glass of red while you enjoy finding out about this painting? Then read about the best red wines to drink with summer foods.

**Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1882.**

The critique of the 1880 Salon de Paris, written by Emile Zola, contained his rather sharp criticism of the work of the Impressionists, saying their work was incomplete, illogical, and a bit too much (“exagéré”). He proposed a challenge to them to create more ambitious works that were more complex and closer to real life. Pierre-Auguste Renoir took up the challenge, and from it came The Luncheon of the Boating Party, which you see above.

So how did Renoir meet the challenge posed by Zola and still stay an Impressionist? A quick glance shows a very selective usage of that “incomplete” quality of Impressionism, along with skillful use of detail and complex composition to achieve an ambitious work with images closer to real life.

Impressionist Touches

When we look at the foliage and the boats on the river in the background, the hazy, impressionistic quality of the handling is just perfect for items not of great importance and in the background. They form a frame for the more important activity around the table. Likewise, the table and the things on it, half full or empty wine glasses, the remains of lunch, and napkins tossed aside, are done with just enough detail to define them. While we recognize what these items are, they are not really that clearly in focus. Renoir gives us enough to know that what we expect to be on that table is actually on that table, but only shows what the viewer needs in order to understand that a satisfying meal had been had, and there is still some red wine to drink.

**Detail of Aline Chrigot the future wife of Pierre Auguste Renoi**r

Portraiture

However, Zola had demanded work that was more important, more complex and true to life. For that we must look at the figures. All of the figures are known, and in fact, Renoir had them visit his studio individually so that he captured their features correctly. Of special interest are those in the foreground. The pursed-lipped, rosy-cheeked, young woman with the dog is Aline Charigot, the then mistress but future wife of Renoir. The man standing behind her is Jules-Alphonse Fournaise, the son of the owner of the auberge where the lunch was held. Leaning on the railing a bit further away is his sister, Louise-Alphonsine Fournaise. Across the table from Aline Charigot, in a tight conversational group, sit Gustave Caillebotte, a wealthy patron of the Impressionists and a fine painter himself, wearing a straw hat pushed back on his head, and with him, a model named Angéle. Behind them, but engaged in the discussion, is a journalist named Maggiolo. In the middle rear of the main table sits “The Girl with the Wine Glass” made famous more recently in the movie, Amelie. She was an actress and model for Manet, Renoir and others, named Ellen Andrée. The use of portraiture directly answers the criticism about incompleteness. Here Renoir provides real faces of real people.

Complex Composition

Having answered the criticism about the need to create complete images, more real to life, Renoir deals cleverly with the composition to provide the complexity required of an important painting. For instance, he uses the diagonal of the table to lead the viewer’s eye from foreground to background. Renoir provides several other ways to move through the painting as well. Since Jules-Alphonse Fournaise is a commanding figure and standing, he catches the eye. One can follow the direction of his regard to the people at the back of the table and over to the upper right corner where a cluster of people stand chatting. The eye then comes down to Caillebotte and his friends, then across to Aline and the dog, and back to Fournaise. Or one can simply follow the yellow hats and yellow flower. In that format, the viewer’s eye goes from Fournaise’s yellow hat, to Aline, across to Caillebotte, over to Louise Fournaise, then to a yellow flower in the background between a man and woman conversing in the upper right corner. Or, if so inclined, one can go from Jules to his sister, Louise, over to the yellow flower, down to Caillabotte’s hat and over the Aline. No matter which way the eye goes, it does a complete circuit of the figures in the painting.

Zola wanted more definition, more complexity, more realism, more logic. In this rendition of a gathering of friends on a summer’s afternoon by the river where some had been out boating, we see all of Zola’s demands met. Renoir delivered the goods, showing a real life scene of a casual summer gathering. Two of the men wear their straw hats still and are in what appear to be undershirts, perhaps they had done the rowing. Others hold to more formal attire worn by those who may have just come for lunch. Everyone seems relaxed. One can almost hear the noise of their chatter. The light warm colors (pinks, yellows, whites) create the feeling of summer, while the greenery surrounding the auberge and the blue of the river add a refreshing quality.

What? Red Wine in Summer?

Ellen Andrée has the right idea. Having a nice glass of red on a summer’s day is the perfect drink for an outing. We can see on that table in Renoir’s painting many bottles of red yet to be drunk. So why do we always associate red wine with the cold of autumn and winter, when in fact, it can make such a nice addition to our summer picnics, camp outs or boating parties? It bears taking a look at red wines and noting down the names of some which go wonderfully well with our summer time dining fair and even for celebratory events like weddings or anniversaries.

Here, it is best to talk to a sommelier, and one of the best in terms of summer reds is André Hueston Mack, producer of Mouton Noir Wines in Oregon. Mack was once in the world of finance, but moved into wines in his late 20s, becoming the Best Young Sommelier of 2003 as determined by the Chaine des Rotisseurs, a French gastronomic society located in Paris. His choices for summer red wines are Pinot Noir, full of fruity aromas; Gamay, often in the form of Gamay Beaujolais; Temperanillo, made from the grapes used for Rioja; Nebbiolo, from the Piedmont region in Italy; and wines made from the sangiovese grapes of Tuscany. He also has a wonderful 20-20 rule for serving both whites and reds. One should take a white out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving and put a red into chill 20 minutes before serving. For more of his career as a winemaker and his comments on red wines for summer see, https://www.theroot.com/5-red-wines-that-are-perfect-for-summer-1790860405

But what to eat?

No, you don’t have to serve pot roast for your summer picnic just because you also serve red wine. Grilled salmon is a great match for a chilled Pinot Noir, as is grilled seafood. Grilled pork, chicken or turkey are wonderful when paired with a Gamay. And you can always go Italian and have grilled pizza or summer pasta with a Tuscan Sangiovese red.

For those who want a bit of fizz for the upcoming 4th of July, try a Frappato or a sparkling Shiraz, yes, Shiraz. It’s somewhat heavier quality goes nicely with barbecue, just don’t over chill it, as that mutes the flavor.

So don’t forget the red wines just because the weather is warm. They are good all year around. For a list of where to buy Mouton Noir Wines, check here: https://1000corks.com/wine/Mouton-Noir-Wines You can find good selections of reds at wine clubs at Cellars Wine Club, which actually has a Red Wine Store, just go to www.cellarswineclub.com . And, of course, Renoir goes well with any meal.

Images used in this blog are from public domain sources. Reference work consulted was Les Impressionnistes, Fenetre sur L’art by Diana Newall

Marjorie Vernelle is an artist, writer, college professor, and traveler. For more see the Pages at ofartandwine.com or her author page at amazon.com and her art at Vernelle Art Boutique vernellestudio.com.

Of Art and Wine affiliates with Bluehost.com and CellarsWineClub.com and may earn from qualifying purchases.

©marjorie vernelle 2019

Coming soon…

Champagne is always great. You see it in prime position here at the famous Bar at the Folies Bergére in the Paris of 1882. Looks like a lovely time, but why are the reflections wrong? Come explore Manet’s world, and let’s talk reflections and champagne. Next on Of Art and Wine.

A Bar at the Folies Bergére by Edouqrd Manet, 1882.

#renoir #luncheonoftheboatingparty #impressionists #finewines #redwines

A Pieter Claesz “Banquet Piece” and Rhine Wine

**Still Life with Large Roemer, Lemons and Grapes** **by Pieter Claesz, 1646**

Historian Simon Schama has called it an “embarrassment of riches” and even has written a book with that title to describe the wealth of the Netherlands in the 17th century. Many things come with great wealth, like throwing money at any and everything (investing in tulips?). One thing for sure, when money is prevalent, the art market does well. The names of the famous Dutch and Flemish painters of that age roll off the tongue with ease, Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Hals, and many others. The flourishing economy allowed for certain genres of art to develop as they suited the tastes of the newly prosperous merchant class, thus we have the famous Dutch landscapes of Jacob and Salomon Van Ruysdael. Another popular form was that of the still life, as seen in paintings of tables over-laden with all kinds of foods, full of gleaming silver and pewter vessels, and of course, wine. In fact, these food and drink souvenirs became known as “banquet pieces,” or “dinner pieces,” and Pieter Claesz of Haarlem became a specialist in that genre.

What comprises a banketje?

Close up view of a large Dutch roemer with white wine. — **Large Roemer**

Claesz eschewed the colors and complicated compositions that were a holdover from the Mannerist traditions of the 16th century. Even though he was a Baroque painter, as shown in his easily recognized, highly realistic images, he concentrated on simple compositions, subtle monochromatic tones, and the role of reflected light. He followed the tradition of the dinner and breakfast pieces (called banketje) by having the objects in the painting close to the edge of a table corner. Yet, he does not do much overlapping of objects, allowing the viewer to engage each one and thus enjoy the individual richness of each. Here we see a close up of a roemer (sometimes spelled rumer), which had a stem covered with protruding knobs to help one keep a good grip on the glass of wine. The tonality in his palette is abbreviated by points of single bright colors and the glow of the light reflections off of silver, pewter or liquids, like wine.

In looking at Still Life with Large Roemer, Lemon and Grapes (1646), we can see all of those things mentioned above working together to produce a feeling of luxury and abundance. The background is in gray but with a slight variation around the roemer, where one sees a lighter gray touched with a bit of a subtle warm rose color. The table cloth moves almost without notice from a warm burnt carmine brown, which again produces a warmth around the roemer of wine, to a deep gray. The flowers in the background are of much less importance than the overturned roemer, which catches the light and allows for a streak of white to brighten up the dark background. Coming closer to the front of this table, the skins of the grapes reflect points of light, as does the curled metal of a knife handle. The main event consists of the bright yellow and white of that lemon, the golden brown crust of the bread, and the light on each of the nobs on the stem of the roemer. Even so, it is the soft golden-green of the light reflected in the wine that makes it all so tempting. At the same time, the partially peeled lemon, half eaten bread, and overturned roemer are reminders that life’s perfections change and move toward dissolution, a sharp warning to an oh-so-prosperous society.

The Artist

Pieter Claesz (1597-1660) grew up in Haarlem, the center of the Dutch flower trade, and was originally known for exuberant floral paintings. However, he became a master of a genre known as banquet pieces. His work grew more colorful again when he started doing elaborate table settings. He was also know for his Vanitas paintings. Vanitas are vanities, a theme that caused Florence’s mad priest, Savonarola, to have people throw their luxury goods onto bonfires (unfortunately for us, Botticelli threw some of his paintings into the flames). Though Claesz lived a hundred years of so later, the theme was still the subject of a number of painters, including Caravaggio. Pieter Claesz had a fine career in his lifetime and a son named Nicolas Berchem, who became a landscape painter.

Paintings by Claesz are in Public Domain.

Divine Rhine Wines

One of the types of wine that the Dutch used frequently was Rhine wine. Produced from the rocky soil along the banks of the Rhine River in Germany, Rhine wines most commonly known in the U.S. are Riesling and Gewürztraminer. These wines are often crisp and light in taste, though they can also be sweet. A lot depends on when the grapes are picked. In terms of Riesling, there are three categories: Kabinett comes from grapes harvested early, which produce a rather dry, light, crisp taste; Spatlese is from a late harvest and are semi-sweet; and Auslese are havested last and often used for dessert wines. The dry ones go nicely with pork or chicken, while the sweeter versions work well with cheese and paté.

Gewürztraminer is known for its scent of spice, fruit and florals. In fact, the name means “spiced Traminer” indicating that it is an aromatic wine. Made from a pink-skinned grape, the Savangin Rose, the wine itself is a rather recent creation dating from the 1800s, though the winegrowers, perhaps to give it extra cachet, associated it with wines from the Tramin which go back 800 years. Whatever the case historically, it has a distinct sweet, spicy flavor and a definite perfume. It pairs well with such items as stir-fried pork and crayfish. The wines high alcohol content and low acidity can allow the level of sweetness to increase with the wine losing its balance. At best it has been compared to a musical composition and at worst to a “cheap perfume.” (For more on this interesting wine see the following Wall St. Journal article from which I quote: https://www.wsj.com/articles/gewurztraminer-a-rare-rewarding-wine-even-if-you-cant-pronounce-it-1472837792)

Ice Wines: The Shotgun Wedding of 1794

So what do you do when a sudden hard freeze happens a bit earlier than expected, and the grapes become marble hard beads of ice? Well, you force a marriage of grapes and cold weather. That is what they did in Franconia, Germany in 1794 when they created the first ice wine or Eiswein. In fact, the Ancient Romans had beaten them to it, but the recipe was lost (along with the one for concrete) until the genius of necessity occurred in Franconia (for the wine, not the concrete). Ice wines are very sweet since the water in them freezes, and the sugars do not. The yield from such grapes is sparse, so making ice wine takes determination. The grapes used vary but are often the same as for Rieslings or Gewürstraminers. As a dessert wine it can be paired with a soft cheese or served with ice cream or cheesecake. The largest modern day production of ice wines comes from, of course, Canada, where you can take your experience of ice wine to a new level by having it served inside an igloo at Peller Estates Winery and Restaurant (see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU79wUCsIww ) I must add, however, that New York State and Michigan are dominant ice wine makers in the United States. As well, the James Cole Winery in Napa, California is known for a superb Merlot ice wine.

Glass of white wine. — **A glass of riesling, anyone?**

Luckily for us, growers in the U.S. make very fine wines from the grape varieties originally found along the Rhine. One can have access to a wide variety of high quality wines at affordable prices from a wine club, such as Cellars Wine Club. Cellars has a plan for every level of taste and budget, including single bottle offerings, International wines, and their famous “no bad bottle” policy www.cellarswineclub.com.

Of Art and Wine affiliates with Bluehost.com and CellarsWineClub.com and may earn from qualifying purchases.

Coming soon…

Summer is almost here, time for red wine. Red wine in summer! Yes, indeed, just look at Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party. I will give you some suggestions for your summer outings and the juicy details about the painting.

Images are from public domain or free sources.