The Chianti Series of my charcoal drawings continue with a sensual and elegant nude female figure. As I named the drawing "Holy Touch Of Malvasia", I believe I owe some explanations!
Malvasia del Chianti. Malvasia Toscana. Aromatic, sweet and fresh... A grape variety which goes perfectly together with other grapes and gives Chianti wines a very elegant touch of dolcezza e freschezza (sweetness and freshness). But most of all, it's an essential part of the Holy Wine or Vin Santo. So, if you haven't yet met Malvasia – let me introduce you to each other!
Many Chianti lovers would know that the Chianti wines are rarely made out of only one grape variety. Even though Malvasia is a white grape, it's included in production of red wines giving them that same touch of elegance.
As you can guess, the grapes of Malvasia family are in the recipe of many wines produced in Chianti region. Most of all, it goes very well with Sangiovese and Trebbiano. Actually, together with Trebbiano it makes the Holy Wine.
Now, you might ask me – what is this Holy Wine or Vin Santo? Well, it's an Italian desert wine. It just so happened historically that this sweet wine – made from the dried grapes – was often used in the Catholic church during the mass. All because of resourceful Tuscan winemakers of the Renaissance who started calling this wine VinSanto to market it in Rome.
Centuries later VinSanto was massively exported to Russia where it was used for the Eucharist in Russian Orthodox churches.
As for my artistic experiments with charcoal on Chianti stained paper, I hope that this nude female drawing "The Holy Touch Of Malvasia" is a beautiful addition to my Chianti Series and an organic continuation of Tuscan winemaking story which I am learning while creating art.
I hope you enjoy this drawing! And if you would like to purchase it – please visit my shop. – And stay tuned for the next Chianti story in charcoal on paper :)