Uva Pignola di S. Colombano - Grape

by Giorgio Gallesio

This exceptional example of botanical art, museum-worthy in its quality, is a reflection of the rich legacy of Italian winemaking through the Uva pignola di S. Colombano (The Pignola Grape of San Colombano), an old red wine grape variety originating from Lombardy. Painted directly from life by Mauro Rusconi, this etching is a perfect example of the superb realism required by the scientific literature of the early 19th century.

The main focus of the image is a thick bunch of dark grapes featuring colors varying from deep indigo to midnight blue. The stipple etching perfectly reproduces the matt surface of the natural glaucous bloom of the grapes’ skins in contrast with the reflection of light from their round surfaces. On both sides of the bunch, there are beautifully drawn green grape leaves with complicated venation characteristic for Mauro Rusconi’s meticulous anatomy studies.