The Wine of Saint Martin’s Day
Encyclopedia
The Wine of Saint Martin's Day is a painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The painting depicts peasants celebrating a festival known as St. Martin's Day
, which involves drinking the first wine of the season.
Dated between 1565 and 1568, the work was long presumed lost until its discovery in 2010 at the Museo del Prado
in Madrid
, where it had been brought for restoration. A study of the surface using X-rays revealed fragments of Bruegel's signature, thereby confirming his authorship.
It is one of several works by this artist executed in tempera
on linen.
Among the many figures is a group which alludes to the story of St Martin of Tours dividing his cloak. This scene is reproduced in a painting fragment in Vienna, which is believed to be a copy by another member of the Bruegel family.
in the early seventeenth century. However, the earliest documentary evidence which definitely relates to the work now in the Prado is an inventory of the collection of a Spanish aristocrat, Luis Francisco de la Cerda
, the ninth duke of Medinaceli. The duke is assumed to have acquired the painting in Italy around the end of the seventeenth century. By the twenty-first century, the painting was not in a good state of conservation, and its owners, unidentified Spanish collectors, were unaware it was a Bruegel when they took it to the Prado Museum. It has since been acquired by the Museum for less than its value on the open market.
St. Martin's Day
St. Martin's Day, also known as the Feast of St. Martin, Martinstag or Martinmas, the Feast of St Martin of Tours or Martin le Miséricordieux, is a time for feasting celebrations. This is the time when autumn wheat seeding is completed. Historically, hiring fairs were held where farm laborers...
, which involves drinking the first wine of the season.
Dated between 1565 and 1568, the work was long presumed lost until its discovery in 2010 at the Museo del Prado
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, where it had been brought for restoration. A study of the surface using X-rays revealed fragments of Bruegel's signature, thereby confirming his authorship.
Description of painting
The Wine of Saint Martin's Day is the largest surviving work by Bruegel.It is one of several works by this artist executed in tempera
Tempera
Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium . Tempera also refers to the paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the 1st centuries AD still exist...
on linen.
Among the many figures is a group which alludes to the story of St Martin of Tours dividing his cloak. This scene is reproduced in a painting fragment in Vienna, which is believed to be a copy by another member of the Bruegel family.
Provenance
The Wine of Saint Martin's Day matches the description of a painting which was inventoried in the collection of the Gonzaga dukes of MantuaHouse of Gonzaga
The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708.-History:In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua, and in 1530 Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the Duchy of Monferrato through marriage...
in the early seventeenth century. However, the earliest documentary evidence which definitely relates to the work now in the Prado is an inventory of the collection of a Spanish aristocrat, Luis Francisco de la Cerda
Luis Francisco de la Cerda
Luis Francisco de la Cerda Aragón, , 9th Duke of Medinaceli, was a Spanish noble and politician....
, the ninth duke of Medinaceli. The duke is assumed to have acquired the painting in Italy around the end of the seventeenth century. By the twenty-first century, the painting was not in a good state of conservation, and its owners, unidentified Spanish collectors, were unaware it was a Bruegel when they took it to the Prado Museum. It has since been acquired by the Museum for less than its value on the open market.