ART OF DRINKING, THE

Alcohol is a mood changer, a pleasure of the flesh, and a metaphor for indulgence. It has enhanced life; stimulated a flood of art, advertising, and interior design; generated new objects from the corkscrew to the cocktail shaker; and fueled vivid celebrations of rites of passage, victories; and state occasions over the past 500 years. Cartoonists have exploited alcohol in every possible way; painters have depicted the wine-sodden excesses of classical gods; architects have devised grottoes, beer gardens, gin palaces, and wine bars; and potters, goldsmiths, and glassmakers have designed an extraordinary diversity of bowls and decanters, containers and cases, tankards and glasses, from Fabergé's jeweled vodka cups to Meissen wine coolers. 'The Art of Drinking' is a celebration and exploration of the extraordinary range of visual material created to exploit, celebrate, sell, and simply enjoy alcoholic beverages.