From vine to glass, wine at Balzac's: the quirky exhibition at the Maison de Balzac

Through the Comédie humaine, Balzac examined the evolution and mores of 19th-century French society. Money, power, social classes, fashion, music and the arts, justice: every facet of life is analyzed and commented on by this master of the French novel. And in the 19th century, a defining feature permeated the daily life of the French: the wine !

In the 19th century, wine played an important role in people’s diet and way of life. It was also an economic activity, transformed by technical and commercial innovations. Balzac explores these different dimensions in his novels, essays and correspondence.

The Maison de Balzac explores the author’s reflections on wine in a themed exhibition. Entitled From Vine to Glass: Wine in Balzac, the exhibition brings together more than 80 works. Paintings, drawings, prints, posters, tableware and even winemaking equipment are on display along a route divided into several themes.

• To be read
• The best things to do in Paris and Île-de-France from November 2 to 8, 2026
• Free museums in Paris and free monuments in Île-de-France: the top cultural deals

In Balzac's work, wine appears across several registers. It is an indispensable part of the diet, a symbol of the art of living in the French way. It is also a strong industry that can fatten wallets quickly, and which has witnessed major technical and commercial innovations. Wine is a symbol of social classes, a product of the French terroir, a market with its workers and its traditions...

The exhibition itinerary draws on a selection of Balzac's writings, plunging visitors into the author's oeuvre with a theme that is at once unexpected and revealing of the artist's style. It's an engaging way to rediscover the great Comédie humaine and 19th-century French society.

This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.