Absinthe....the Green Fairy

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890):
'Still-Life with Absinthe', 1887
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Absinthe is historically described as a distilled,
highly alcoholic (45–74% ABV) beverage. It is
an anise-flavoured spirit derived from herbs,
including the flowers and leaves of the herb
Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred
to as 'grande wormwood', together with
green anise and sweet fennel
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Henri Privat-Livemont (1861–1936):
'Absinthe Robette', 1896
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A reservoir glass filled with a naturally coloured
verte absinthe next to an absinthe spoon. Absinthe
traditionally has a natural green colour but can
also be colourless. It is commonly referred to in
historical literature as "la fée verte"
i.e. the "Green Fairy" in French

An absinthe spoon? Why?
Traditionally, absinthe is prepared by placing a
sugar cube on top of a specially designed slotted spoon
and then placing the spoon on the glass which has
been filled with a shot of absinthe. Ice-cold water is
then poured or dripped over the sugar cube. During
this process, components not soluble in water
come out of solution and cloud the drink. This
is often referred to as 'The French Method'

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...and cats like Absinthe, too :O)

Visit the Virtual Absinthe Museum

'Absinthe Drinker'
by Viktor Oliva (1861-1928)
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Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in
Switzerland. It achieved great popularity as an alcoholic
drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France,
particularly among Parisian artists and writers. Owing
in part to its association with bohemian culture,
consumption of absinthe was opposed by social conservatives
and prohibitionists. Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine,
Arthur Rimbaud, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec,
Amedeo Modigliani, Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde,
Aleister Crowley and Alfred Jarry were all known
drinkers of absinthe



Albert Maignan (1845-1908):
'Green Muse', 1895
A poet succumbs to the Green Fairy
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'L'absinthe' by Edgar Degas

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Absinthe - La Feé Verte
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Absinthe has been portrayed as a dangerously addictive
psychoactive drug. The chemical thujone, present in small
quantities, was blamed for its alleged harmful effects.
By 1915, absinthe had been banned in the United States
and in most European countries including France, the
Netherlands, Belgium, the Austro-Hungarian Empire
and Switzerland. Although absinthe was vilified, it has
not been shown that it is any more dangerous
than ordinary spirits
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'The Absinthe Drinker'
by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

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