Coffee in art: artistic representations of a popular drink

Coffee intrigues, coffee inspires, and has done so for many centuries. : since coffee became a common drink in the 19th century and no longer a drink reserved for the upper middle class, coffee has been the subject of many artistic inspirations, particularly in painting.

Paintings around the famous energy drink

In the famous painting by Édouard Manet entitled " Lunch in the workshop ", painted in the 19th century, it features an illustration of a still life, which features a cup of coffee surrounded by oyster shells and lemon zest. A maid has also been painted in this painting, holding a coffee pot. The Italian painter Silvestro Lega also used the image of coffee in a canvas entitled " A lunch after dinner » : here again it is a question of cups of coffee placed on a table and a housekeeper holding a coffee pot, which, we guess, contains coffee. Pierre Auguste Renoir with his painting " The end of lunch » also adds a cup of coffee. These famous paintings are the main witnesses to the affluence of coffee at this time. This era marks the beginning of the international popularity of caffeine among all classes. Coffee is now no longer reserved for an elite, but for all social classes. Coffee is today the most popular beverage in the world.

" A lunch after dinner », Oil on canvas by Silvestro Lega

The most popular coffee exhibitions (Café-in, Paris Coffee Show)

To learn about the origins of coffee, as well as its history, composition, and production, exhibitions are organized around it in museums in France and around the world. This is the case of the exhibition Coffee-in at the Mucem in Marseille. This exhibition aims to raise awareness of the history of coffee, as well as its manufacturing techniques and methods, so that this popular coffee no longer holds any secrets for anyone. Indeed, as Jean-Michel Dijan, the exhibition's general curator, points out, coffee is not usually intended to be an artistic object, like famous paintings, but rather an object of tasting or social interaction. By attempting to provide information on what coffee really is, and why it is so popular today after so many years of cultivation and export, it will allow us to learn a little more about it.

The Café-in exhibition offers an introspection on the myths surrounding coffee, on the scientific and economic aspects of the drink and on the social practice that stems from the popular beverage.

Other exhibitions present coffee from all angles, as is also the case with the exhibition " The rise of exotic drinks in the 18th century » : However, this exhibition is not only focused on coffee, but also on tea and cocoa.

Another popular exhibition : THE Paris Coffee Show, the leading coffee event in France. This exhibition takes place at the Parc Floral in Paris and brings together the main players in coffee production. The Paris Coffee Show exhibition brings together no fewer than 1,050 roasters, offering a tasting of the best coffees in the world. This exhibition was organized to offer the discovery of the world of coffee and its aromas : accessible to all, this exhibition combines fun activities and colorful tastings.

Painting with… coffee grounds !

Combining business with pleasure is the surprising bet that some people have chosen to undertake by replacing paint with coffee grounds. An ecological and natural solution that allows you to give pretty sepia tones to all your drawings. ! We suggest you watch this short video tutorial which shows you how to use coffee grounds paint.

Coffee has many flavorful, healing, and health-promoting properties, but that's not all. : it is an object used in art or in exhibitions, because its exotic origins and manufacturing secrets are sometimes unknown to all.