Vernissage

Vernissage,Salon (Paris),1866.

Avernissage(fromFrench,originally meaning "varnishing") is a preview of anart exhibition,which may be private, before the formalopening.If the vernissage is not open to the public, but only to invited guests, it is often called aprivate view.

History

At official exhibitions in the nineteenth century, such as theRoyal Academy summer exhibition,artists would give a finishing touch to their works by varnishing them. The custom of patrons and the élite of visiting the academies during the varnishing day prior to the formal opening of the exhibition gave rise to the tradition of celebrating the completion of an art work or a series of art works with friends and sponsors. In the twentieth century it became an opportunity to market the works on view tobuyersandcritics.

Invitation card to a vernissage.

Related terms

There is a comparable ceremonial ending of art exhibitions, called afinissage,from the French word meaning "finishing". Larger art exhibitions may also have an event halfway through their residency called amidissage.These lattertermsare rare in English; they are more commonly used inGermanandDutchbut not in French.

See also

• Private view
• Yerevan Vernissage

External links

• Vernissage:The Magazine of theNational Gallery of Canada
• Vernissage — Die Zeitschrift zur Ausstellung
• Finissage