Signboard of Wine Merchant 

This is a signboard made by Niko Pirosmani, an artist who lived in Georgia during a time of massive cultural and political change, around the turn of the 20th century. Pirosmani, who was self-taught, captured scenes of everyday life, especially those celebrating the pleasures of food, drink, and social gatherings so central to Georgian culture. Here, we see the words "Wine Cellar. To drink on the spot and take away" above a rustic scene that seems caught between tradition and modernity. A cart laden with provisions and pulled by a humble donkey meets a mounted rider in traditional dress. The dark palette gives the piece a melancholic and dreamlike quality. Pirosmani lived a nomadic life and was often poor; his work was his livelihood. He blurred the lines between folk art and high art. His paintings provide an invaluable glimpse into a society undergoing rapid transformation, seen through the eyes of someone who remained deeply connected to its heart and soul.