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 !

Like bread, wine is a staple of the diet. It appears on every table, and on nearly everyone's lips. It can be a symbol of wealth and a strong social marker, just as it can become the poison of the lower classes, fueling violence or financial trouble.

The Balzac House analyzes this author's reflection on wine in a new, must-see exhibition running from November 26, 2026 to April 6, 2027. Titled From Vine to Glass: Balzac’s Wine, the show brings together more than 80 works. Paintings, drawings, engravings, posters, tableware, and even winemaking equipment are showcased along a route organized around several thematic strands.

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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.