The greatest artists in history who made... wine labels?

Do you like art and wine? If so, you might be interested to know that there is a way to combine these two passions: collecting wine labels designed by famous artists. Yes, you read that right. Many artists have lent their talent and creativity to create unique and original labels that adorn the bottles of some of the best wines in the world. In this article we tell you everything you need to know about this fascinating world of art and wine.

The history of artistic wine labels dates back to 1924, when Baron Philippe de Rothschild, owner of the prestigious Château Mouton Rothschild, one of the top five Bordeaux crus, commissioned the cubist painter Georges Braque to design the label for that year's vintage. The baron wanted to celebrate the end of alcohol prohibition in the United States, a very important market for his wines. The result was an elegant and modern label, with a geometric motif evoking the shape of a bottle and a glass.

Since then, Baron Philippe de Rothschild continued the tradition of commissioning a different artist each year to create the label for his most emblematic wine, Mouton Rothschild. Some of the most prominent names that have participated in this initiative are Picasso, Miró, Dalí, Chagall, Kandinsky, Warhol, Haring, Bacon, Freud and Kapoor. Each of them has captured their style and personality in these small works of art that have become objects of desire for collectors.

Pablo Picasso was one of the illustrious artists whose work has been used on wine labels.

But Château Mouton Rothschild is not alone in using art to dress its bottles. Other wine producers have also collaborated with renowned artists to create original and attractive labels. For example, Château Lafite Rothschild, another early Bordeaux crus, has collaborated with artists such as Henry Moore, Balthus and Gu Gan. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has commissioned its labels from artists such as Arman, Corneille or Zao Wou-Ki. And Château Beychevelle has relied on artists such as Antoni Tàpies, Valerio Adami or Nalini Malani.

These artistic wine labels are not only a way of expressing the personality and quality of the wine they contain, but also a way of bringing art closer to the public and creating an emotional link between producer and consumer. They are also a profitable investment for collectors, as their value increases over time and they can fetch very high prices at auction.

Some of the hand labels of great artists in the history of art.

If you are curious and want to know more about this subject, we recommend that you visit the website of the Mouton Rothschild Wine Museum (https://www.musee-mouton.com/), where you can see all the labels created by artists from 1924 to the present day. You can also consult the book "Mouton Rothschild: The Paintings for the Labels" (https://www.amazon.com/Mouton-Rothschild-Paintings-Labels/dp/208030121X), which collects the images and stories behind each of them. And if you have the opportunity, don't hesitate to try some of these exceptional wines that combine art and flavor in every sip.