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Diari Valencià

Picasso and Dalí Arrive in Elche with an Exhibition on the Millenary History of Wine

The 'La huella de Dionisos' exhibition at Elche's MAHE merges contemporary art and archaeology to explore wine tradition.

Image of ancient wine amphorae and cups in an exhibition, with blurred modern artworks in the background.
IA

Image of ancient wine amphorae and cups in an exhibition, with blurred modern artworks in the background.

The Archaeological and History Museum of Elche (MAHE) has inaugurated the temporary exhibition 'La huella de Dionisos' (The Footprint of Dionysus), combining works by Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí with archaeological pieces, exploring the history of wine over eight millennia.

The exhibition, which can be visited free of charge until October 11, is set to be one of the most prominent cultural events in the city of Elche for 2026. This initiative is the result of a collaboration between the Elche City Council and the Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture.
The exhibition features a total of 48 pieces, 41 of which have been loaned by the institution from La Rioja, while the remaining seven are part of the ilicitano museum's own collection. The artistic and historical journey focuses on the figure of Dionysus as a cultural, religious, and artistic symbol, spanning from classical antiquity to contemporary art.
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"One of the great challenges is to continue maintaining a program of high-impact exhibitions that position not only the museum, but also the Altamira Palace as a cultural reference in our municipality."

Irene Ruiz · Elche's Councillor for Culture
During the inauguration, the Councillor for Culture, Irene Ruiz, highlighted the importance of this exhibition for the programming of the MAHE and the Altamira Palace, emphasizing the goal of consolidating this space as a cultural reference. For his part, the exhibition's curator and director of the Vivanco Foundation, Santiago Vivanco, stressed the deep relationship between wine and humanity over more than 8,000 years, manifested in various artistic expressions.
The exhibition includes four works by Picasso depicting the figure of Bacchus, as well as pieces by Dalí and Renaissance artists such as Andrea Mantegna or Giulio Romano. Additionally, local pieces from the MAHE have been integrated, primarily Roman and Greek ceramic materials related to wine consumption, mostly from La Alcudia de Elche. This integration aims to strengthen the connection with the ilicitano heritage and make the exhibition more accessible to visitors.
The mayor of Elche, Pablo Ruz, highlighted the magnitude of the exhibition and its potential cultural and tourist impact for the city, emphasizing the presence of original works by great masters and its free admission as key attractions. The project required over a year and a half of preparation and intense institutional collaboration to create a high-level proposal that aims to position Elche on the map of major cultural exhibitions in the country.

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