August, 2020 - Of Art and Wine

The Painted Allure of the Beach and Cool Summer Wines.

Cliffs at Etretat by Claude Monet, 1883. Click picture to magnify.

It’s summer, the dog days of, and what could be nicer and more refreshing than a stroll along the beach in the cool of the late afternoon or early evening? Monet takes us there in this painting of limestone crags, cousins of the White Cliffs of Dover, but these along the Normandy coast of France. It was somewhere along these cliffs, as Monet wrote to his second wife, Alice Hochede, that he lost a painting and nearly his life when a big wave came ashore and washed almost everything away with it. The perils of the beach should never be forgotten. Yet we love it truly, and especially when we see it as it is here, with dappled pink clouds against pale blue sky above the mirror of the sea. Monet even tints the sands of the beach a bit pink. What’s not to love about this scene? Shall we go there?

But wait! There are other beaches to explore. One does not often think of the rough, cockney-accented, J.M.W. Turner as someone who was particularly romantic, and certainly not as presented in Mike Leigh’s 2014 film, Mr Turner. However, there was something about the Kent Coast near Margate that captured his fancy, and it wasn’t just his lady friend, Mrs Booth.

The New Moon by J.M.W. Turner, 1890 The Tate Britain tate.org.uk Click picture to magnify.

Something about the sea and the setting sun must have made the old man go soft, for here we have children playing on the beach, dogs running in the surf, and grown-ups wading in the water. Even one of the names of the painting shows some of the action, as this painting is also called “I’ve lost My Boat; You shan’t have Your Hoop,” presumably the cries of the children. Golden days on a golden beach, as Turner transformed the sea and the sands into sparkles of golden light which reflect the magic of the setting sun’s last rays. However, not to be forgotten is the new moon, which shares the sky with that sunset.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Winslow Homer, America’s 19th century master of oils and watercolors, takes us to a potentially ominous stretch of water off the New England coast.

On the Beach by Winslow Homer, 1869. Click picture to magnify.

Homer lived most of his life in Maine, in and around Prouts Neck. Though this painting is from 1869, Homer really took to painting the sea after a stay in Britain in 1881-1882. He wound up living the last 25 years of his life in a cottage on a cliff overlooking the sea on a property owned by his family in Prouts Neck. That life long experience of the waters of the northern Atlantic shows up in this early seascape, where the waters have turned blackish-blue, and the pink from the sun’s rays are being overtaken by the gray fury of an oncoming storm. Those on the beach take cautious steps into the shallows, but may very well have to run from the wave that is about to break or suffer a severe smack-down.

This attraction to the waters was enhanced by Homer’s assignment for Century Magazine in 1884 when he was sent to capture the beauty of the Bahamas and Bermuda in winter. His task was to paint the lovely waters of the islands as promoters were beginning to see these islands as a winter getaway for those who wanted to escape the harsh northern cold. Certainly when compared to the beautiful but threatening waves in On the Beach, the lovely scene of Salt Kettle, Bermuda, invites one to relax in paradise.

Salt Kettle House, Bermuda by Winslow Homer, 1899 National Gallery of Art, Washington nga.gov

Of course, the Mediterranean is another wonderful place to frollick in the waves. This master of capturing that summer-by-the-sea feeling is Joaquin Sorolla. Elegant women dressed all in pristine white, carrying umbrellas, and wearing big hats with wispy veils stroll along the beaches of Sorolla’s paintings (See “The Paintings of Joaquin Sorolla…” ofartandwine.com). Below we have children strolling the shore hand-in-hand, creating idyllic memories that will warm their hearts in the years to come even into old age.

Two Little Girls on a Beach by Joaquin Sorolla, 1904. Click picture to magnify.

Sorolla’s deft touch makes us feel the breeze just by looking at how the wind moves the cloth of the girl’s dress, while the freshness of the water comes forth from the shine on the naked child’s feet and legs. The waves roll in gently enough for other youngsters to play among them. Sorolla even captures that thin band of pearly white seafoam that is the last of a wave before it melts into the sands.

But what is a person to do when trapped far from the beach on the sweltering streets of the big city? Well, former mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe, looked out one hot day in 2002 from the windows of the Hotel de Ville, Paris’ city hall, and decided that Paris needed its own beach. After all though France has three seacoasts, none of them front Paris. Nature’s insult had to be remedied. Et voilà, Paris Plage (Paris Beach)!

Paris Plage (Paris Beach) in front of the city hall, le Hotel de Ville. Notice the impromptu volleyball game and the striped cabana.

Leave it to the French not to be outdone by nature. Paris Beach has taken on a number of iterations over the years and has extended down to the quai just above the river Seine. I can tell you that there is always a breeze flowing down the river.

However, as we all know, sadly going to the beach in great numbers, even to a faux beach in the city, is not adviseable during the COVID 19 pandemic. Though we can still enjoy the photos of Paris’ special tribute to beach culture (2019), we shall have to put aside for now our dreams of having our own cities make us a downtown beach. Cool idea, though.

Here the George Pompidou Walkway (2019). Photo credit and copyright Marc Bertrand, with thanks to the Paris Tourist Office.

For one more chance to have an artful summer beach experience, Sarah Herring, a curator at London’s National Gallery, has put together some wonderful paintings by Degas, Constable, Monet, and others to help one have a virtual summer vacation. It is called Beach Scenes; see it on youtube.com.

Paintings used are in public domain.

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.

Chilled Wines for a Pandemic Picnic

A basket of basics that are easy to prepare, carry, and consume. Don’t forget a beach blanket, beach umbrella and your swimsuit even if you are only going to your backyard. (It’s all about imagination.)

One thing that the pandemic does not change is what to eat and drink when you are having a beach picnic. Now I don’t say you have to fill the backyard, patio, or deck with sand, though a potted palm might create the atmosphere. Once the scene is set then you must focus on what to munch on. I say munch on because beach picnics are not to be confused with a backyard cook-out. (Some even make distinctions between a cook-out, normally a barbeque, and fish-fry, but we won’t get that complicated here.) The main thing about a picnic, even on an imaginary beach, is to keep it simple. We want to have good, tasty things, but ones that are easy to fix, easy to carry, and easy to consume. That means cold cuts, cold chicken, cheeses and crackers, stuffed olives, cornichons (those little fermented pickles), baquettes of bread, fresh fruits, and wine, of course.

Now for the wine, we are not having roasted meats or meats with spicy sauces. In fact, we are not cooking at the beach (nor in our patio or backyard for this); we are just eating light. That means we want light wines. Needless to say, almost any rosé would work well, but those made from Pinot Noir grapes are especially nice. If you feel like celebrating, a sparkling rosé is a wonderful choice, and some very nice ones are made from Syrah grapes. Of course they must be kept chilled, so don’t forget the cooler (unless you want to keep running to the fridge). Best temperature for a high quality sparkling rosé is about 45 degrees; ordinary less-expensive rosé is 41 degrees; and for inexpensive champagne, 37 degrees.

La vie en rose

However, one must not forget the wonderful freshness of white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc wines are either very dry or rather sweet, so be careful with selecting. The dry ones would go well with our cheeses and the cold chicken. Of course, since our picnic is at our homemade beach, you could always run to your favorite Japanese restaurant for some take- out sushi – yummy with Sauvignon Blanc. Chenin Blanc is more versatile overall, but for our picnic, it is best suited to the cold cuts, cold chicken, and cheeses.

For those who like red wines in summer, they go perfectly with our picnic’s cheeses and cold cuts. Photo credit to winetours.mk Check out this link for lots of tasting and food pairing information.

Yes, summer makes us think of chilled rosé or Chenin Blanc, but there are red wines that really fill the bill in summer. Beaujolais or any of the wines from Gamay grapes are a bit lighter in taste. You could also experiment with a Loire Valley Cabernet Franc or an Italian Valpolicella. Red wines are normally drunk at room temperature or around 65 degrees. However, this is summertime, and with lighter reds, so it is okay to let your light Pinot Noir, or Beaujolais sit in an ice bucket of half ice and half water for about 15-20 minutes before serving. The temprature would be about 50 degrees. The heavier reds, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, should just be room temperature, and certainly no lower than 60 degrees, otherwise their flavors change and bring out unpleasant qualities attached to tannin levels.

While we don’t have to the luxury of going off to Canada for a tasting experience in an igloo (see the video in a post on ofartandwine.com), Ice Wines are also quite nice in summer to finish off a meal with a touch of sweet. They work well with soft cheeses and with cheesecake, perhaps with a berry topping.

So pandemic not withstanding, we can still have our summer picnic fun. It just takes bit a creativity and care. Bon appetit!

One more thing, when wanting to travel via wine tasting, one can join a wine club. The CellarsWineClub.com offerings on this site (see Pages) present a wide selection for every budget and level of taste, a “no bad bottle” return policy, and free shipping. Check it out. They also have a Give Back program that allows you to give part of the purchase to one of a number of vetted charities. You can feel good and do good.

Note: I affiliate with Bluehost.com and CellarsWineClub.com and may earn from qualifying purchases.

©marjorie vernelle 2020

Coming Soon: One Model, Two Artists, Great Art, and Wine in France-Comté

James McNeill Whistler came to visit fellow painter, Gustave Courbet, bringing along with him his new mistress, Jo, “la belle Irlandaise.” It was only a matter of time before this:

Admittedly the woman here is not Jo, as this is an earlier painting, but it is – uh humm – the most polite expression I can find for what happened. I shall spill the tea in the next article.

Scandal! Sargent and Madame X. Was it the Sparkling Rosé?

Madame X by John Singer Sargent, 1884. Metropolitan Museum, New York.

There are three actors in this drama. She was Virginie Amélie, Madame Pierre Gautreau, born in the U.S., a daughter of French planters who had returned to France from Louisiana during the American Civil War. Her marriage to Gautreau, a wealthy Parisian banker, combined with her beauty and style to boost her to the top of French high society in 1880s Paris. He was John Singer Sargent, another American, who was born in Florence, Italy, to American parents and raised mostly in Europe. Sargent, a young man in his 20s and a very talented artist, had come to Paris to make his name as a painter. And the third actor? Well Paris, of course, the City of Light, as it was known at that time. It was full of the fresh energy of the Impressionism of Monet, Renoir, Degas, and others. DeBussy presented his music that floated along with the light airy ambiance of those new paintings. This new energy even had its own poète du jour, Stéphane Mallarmé, a great friend to this revolutionary new art and its artists. All was bright, light, elegant, foie gras and champagne, Paris, Paris, Paris, and French, French, French.

To this Paris came John Singer Sargent, a talented young painter already gaining favor as a portrait artist (see here his self-portrait), and a young man bent on establishing himself and his career as the man to go to for portraits of the rich and famous who populated Parisian high society. His parents had moved to Europe to help his mother recover from a breakdown. They wandered Europe for years as well-off nomads, though they did keep an apartment in Paris.

Sargent was a man with a plan. Yes, one could spend years painting various and sundry rich clients. Profitable, yes, of course, it would be profitable, but why not just go for the top? The top was Virginie Amélie Gautreau, known as Amélie, the most beautiful woman in Paris at the time, and one who knew how to show it off. With a splendid figure (note the painting at the top of this page), she was known for having extremely pale skin, and dark hair with a touch of red to it. To highlight that dash of color, she would tint the tops of her ears with a rose pink powder. Being the wife of an extremely wealthy man, she was always finely dressed and made her appearance at all the most celebrated locales. However, most important of all in this story, she was American (of sorts) and so was Sargent (of sorts).

THE PLOT THICKENS

Madame Gautreau Drinking a Toast by John Singer Sargent, 1882-1883. isabella Stuart Gardener Museum, Boston, MA. Click painting to magnify.

Well, how better to highlight your skills as a painter and flatter the woman most sought after by the portrait painters of that day than by showing off a beautiful painting of her, here, drinking a toast. It took Sargent two years to persuade her, but at last, where others had failed, Sargent gained her permission to paint a portrait of her. He proposed a painting that is tall and narrow (82″ x 40″), meaning that within that large space he could paint her life-size. She even let him come choose the dress that she would wear. He choose the black gown with the glimmering straps. Now, none of us were present as this painting was being planned, but it is speculated that for both of them, this was to be la piece de resistance, a showpiece to wow the whole of Paris.

In those days, the proper society portrait was quite restrained. See these examples below. The figure on the left is Mrs. Henry White, obviously a wealthy, elegant lady, who could afford to dress well and have Sargent show it off. Next to her is a picture of a Young Lady by Edouard Manet. The parrot is important here, as this was Manet’s finger wagging “tut, tut” response to Gustave Courbet’s sumptuous nude painting, Woman with a Parrot. Manet, of course, also painted nudes (see his Olympia). However, the women he and Courbet were representing in those nude paintings were not high society ladies, like Sargent’s Madame Gautreau.

Mrs. Henry White, by John Singer Sargent, 1883 and Young Lady by Edouard Manet, 1866

As anyone can imagine given the proper portraits of the time, Sargent’s depiction of Madame Gautreau was seen as a bit too much. The feeling of scandal was heightened by the fact that in the original, the right strap of the dress had fallen off her shoulder. The sensuality implied by this seemed to indicate a rather risqué sexuality, as though her clothes were about to fall off. The shock of the boldness of this painting caused Sargent to quickly modify it by painting the strap in its proper position, but the damage had been done.

The public reaction had been quick and vicious. This painting, which was meant to be a homage to her great beauty, made her the laughingstock of Paris, as she was seen to be “ghastly pale,” flagrantly sexual, exaggerated in pose, and thoroughly inappropriate. Sargent’s commissions dried up immediately. At one point he considered stopping painting and taking up a career in music. Madame Gautreau’s celebrity crashed, and she literally withdrew from society, her days as the glamorous queen of beauty over.

Certainly it seems odd, that in Paris, where one would expect a more open attitude toward the sensual, that this fallen strap would cause such a furor, especially as the French are very proud of their reputation as lovers. Having lived in France for a number of years (which were among the happiest in my life), I am going to speculate here. The French love an elegant gesture, that little touch that captures the eye, titillates the senses, and elicits a cheeky smile, but they like it when they are the ones doing it. My feeling is that these two Americans, for as European as they were (one having French parents and the other growing up in Europe), were still considered a bit autre, other and outside. How dare they try to out-French, the French! For that attempt, they must pay.

While Madame Gautreau assumed a more sheltered life, having fallen from the heights, Sargent decided not to give up painting, thankfully. He, like the characters in Tale of Two Cities, just hopped across the Channel to London, where he began a prosperous career with this sensational painting – appropriately sensational this time.

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose by John Singer Sargent. 1885-86 Now in the Tate Britain, London.

As for the painting of Madame Gautreau, well, Sargent had to protect it from her family. Her mother wanted it destroyed. Sargent was concerned about Gautreau’s reputation, so he refused to show the painting again. When he sold it to the Metropolitan Museum in 1916, he did it under the condition that it would be named Madame X, to conceal the name of the woman whose portrait it was. However, the scandal never died. Sadly, Sargent said of the painting that he thought it was his best work.

For more on the scandalous Madame Gautreau, try “15 Salacious Facts About John Singer Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X” www.mentalfloss.com For a short video history of the painting, try Art Attack – John Singer Sargent Madame X. youtube.com.

The paintings discussed in this article are all in Public Domain.

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

Summer’s Here! Time for Sparkling Rosé

Glass of rose sparkling wine Photo from Freepik.com

Yes, I know that rosé can be consumed even in the depths of winter, but somehow that delicious pink color, the dry light flavor with its hint of strawberries, and those bubbles, all seem like a celebration of summer to me. Forgive me. It was last August when I first brought up the subject of rosé wine. (See “Straight Out of Provence” ofartandwine.com). From there you can learn the basics about it, for instance, that it is not just White Zinfandel or Blush wine or wine made from just blending red and white wines (though some rosé champagnes made that way are). For a quick visual primer, take a look at this short video to check out this Rosé Wine Guide, youtube.com.

These tiny beauties are champagne grapes of the kind one sees growing in Champagne in France. The types of grapes that go into champagne are limited to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. The method for making the wine is called la méthode champenoise. The method is also used to make sparkling wines, the only difference being that the sparkling wines not made in Champagne, France cannot use the name Champagne. (The U.S. did not sign that treaty, hence our use of the name champagne.)

Now, back to this seasonal business, of rosé being for spring and summer. Well, there is a certain logic to it, because the wine should be drunk within the first 18 months after harvest. In the northern hemisphere, that means that since the harvest is in August-September, the wines come to market in the spring, just in time for long days and balmy, even hot summer weather. The heat of those days does play rather well into serving a sparkling rosé or rosé champagne since it should be chilled to about 47-50 degrees. Be careful, though, not to get it too cold for that can change the taste by chilling your taste buds.

Then there is the matter of the proper glass. If you are a fan of the classic Hollywood movies of yesteryear, then you have seen those champagne glasses with the wide bowl. Lovely and elegant as they are, they allow too many of the bubbles to escape. Remember what Dom Perignon said when he first tasted sparkling wine, “I am tasting the stars!” That is exactly what you want to do, so you must have those bubbles well-encased in a tall narrow glass like the one at the beginning of this article. The other thing to be sure to do is open the bottle correctly. Yes, indeed there is a correct way, and not following it can waste a lot of the carbon dioxide that is responsible for the bubbles, not to mention how much can be wasted if the bottle overflows. However, I have just the thing, a primer of sorts on how to open champagne or sparkling wine the right way. See “You’re Doing It All Wrong” on youtube.com

SO WHAT DO YOU EAT WITH THIS STUFF?

This covers a host of options, including various other wines. See “How to Host an Impromptu Wine and Cheese Party at cottercrunch.com.

One of the nicest things about rosé wines is that they are very food-friendly. That means they go with just about everything. The dry quality of rosé complements spicy food, fried dishes, even barbeque, and hot buttered popcorn. If one is presenting a toast to start off the evening along with soft cheeses, olives, thin slices of prosciutto, smoked salmon, and even a few berries (see above), then a toast made with a sparkling rosé is just what you need. Rosé has rather high acidity which makes it work well with every thing from heavy sauces to salads and seafood. When time comes for dessert, a sparkling rosé works especially well with fruit tarts or fresh berries covered in chocolate.

So in the grand style of Madame Gautreau, who in the final analysis is forever chic. at least as painted by Sargent, lift high your glass of that beautiful pink bubbly and toast to whatever pleases you the most, perhaps a plate of oysters, a spicy barbeque, or even hot buttered popcorn. The choice is yours. Chin-chin! A votre sante!

One way to get involved in the world of wines is to join a wine club. Cellars Wine Club offers a selection of wine clubs to fit every budget and every level of expertise. The “no bad bottle” return policy is a feature as is free shipping. As well they have a Give Back program that lets members have 15% of the purchase donated to one of the vetted charities offered. With Cellars you can drink good wine, feel good, and do good.

See the Cellars Wine Club selections under Pages ofartandwine.com
Note: I affiliate with Bluehost.com and CellarsWineClub.com and may earn from qualifying purchases.

Coming Soon: The Painted Allure of the Beach and Cool Summer Wines.

Joaquin Sorolla, Valencia Two Little Girls on the Beach. Click picture to magnify.

So it is summer and beach or no beach, it’s hot. One way to cool off, especially if there is no beach near, is to look at paintings that show a love of the sea and the beach. Whether sail boats in the Mediterranean or sunsets off the coast of California, paintings can take you on a mini-vacation. And of course, what goes better with a day at the beach than a picnic complemented by a cooler filled with wonderfully chilled wine.