The Story of Wine in Renaissance and Baroque Art: From Bacchus to the Eucharist
28 November 2026
10:00am-5:00pm
Rewley House 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA
Event status:
Applications being accepted
Dates:
28 November 2026
Study Format:
In-person day/weekend
Fees:
£90.00
From feasting gods to sacred liturgy, wine played a powerful role in the visual culture of Renaissance and Baroque Europe. In this interdisciplinary course, you will explore how artists used wine to express celebration, excess, transformation, and divine presence. Beginning with the classical world, you will encounter images of Bacchus, satyrs, and pastoral abundance, and discover how these themes were interpreted in Renaissance art and humanist culture.
We will then turn to the Christian meanings of wine, from the Wedding at Cana to the Last Supper and the Eucharist, where wine becomes a vehicle of covenant, sacrifice, and spiritual transformation. Along the way, you will also explore scenes of everyday life—taverns, feasts, and moralising images of drunkenness—that reveal the social realities of early modern Europe. Designed for learners of all backgrounds, this event will give you new ways to look at art and to understand how a familiar substance like wine could become a rich visual language for expressing joy, community, faith, and human frailty.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 on 25 November 2026.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Accommodation
If you wish to stay with us before and/or after the event, please contact our Residential Centre for availability and discounted rates.
Call +44 (0) 1865 270362 or email res-ctr@conted.ox.ac.uk
Our accommodation in Wellington Square has been rated as 4-Star Campus Accommodation under Visit England. All bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished with tea/coffee making facilities, Freeview television, private bath/shower rooms and free WiFi. For more details see our accommodation information.
Recommended reading
Scruton, Roger, I Drink Therefore I Am : A Philosopher’s Guide to Wine (London: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2013).
Quiviger, François, The Sensory World of Italian Renaissance Art, 1st ed. (London: Reaktion Books, 2010).
Varriano, John, Wine : A Cultural History 1st ed. (London: Reaktion Books, 2010)
Programme details
9.45am
Registration at Rewley House reception
10am
Session 1: Wine and the Gods – Bacchus and the Classical World
We begin with the ancient world, exploring images of Dionysus/Bacchus, satyrs, and revelry, and how these themes shaped Renaissance humanism and artistic imagination.
11.15am
Tea/coffee break
11.45am
Session 2: Feasting and Abundance – Wine in Renaissance Art
We examine how artists such as Bellini and Titian reimagined classical myths, creating rich scenes of celebration, pleasure, and pastoral life.
1pm
Lunch break
2pm
Session 3: Wine and the Sacred – From Cana to the Eucharist
We turn to the Christian meanings of wine, exploring key works such as the Wedding at Cana and the Last Supper, and the theological symbolism of the Eucharist.
3.15pm
Tea/coffee break
3.45pm
Session 4: Excess and Everyday Life – Taverns, Morality, and Society
We conclude with scenes of drinking, festivity, and excess, from Noah’s drunkenness to tavern imagery, reflecting on morality, community, and the realities of early modern life.
5pm
End of day
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Event fee (includes tea/coffee) | £90.00 |
| Baguette lunch | £7.90 |
| Hot lunch (two-course) | £22.40 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Payment
Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.
Joaquin Cruz Lamas – Tutor
Joaquín Cruz Lamas teaches History of Art at the University of Oxford and has taught Philosophy at King’s College London and Universidad Panamericana, Mexico. He did an MA in Christianity and the Arts at King’s College London and has recently completed a doctorate in Theology and Religious Studies on sacred architecture, Marian devotion, and religious identity in colonial Mexico. His research focuses on the intersections of theology, philosophy, and visual culture, and he is currently developing a project on the devotional practices related to the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Module code: O26P103ARJ
Please use the ‘Book’ button on this page. Alternatively, please contact us to obtain an application form.
Painting – By Caravaggio – Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=110836882
