There have been many mysteries surrounding the substance known as absinthe, and many myths have been built up throughout the years about this fascinating green liquid. One thing that is not a myth, however, is that absinthe has a long and storied history with writers, artists, scientists and other creative minds.
In deference to its mysterious nature and its supposed affects on the mind, this green liqueur has often been called the Green Fairy, and many of the most important artists of the past century, including Pablo Picasso, have enjoyed this strange drink.
Absinthe began its life as a medicinal tonic, when the mixture was invented by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire and administered to his own patients. This creation was made by distilling alcohol with a variety of herbs. Some of the most commonly used herbs were anise, fennel, licorice and peppermint, but of course the most notorious ingredient was an herb known as wormwood. It is the presence of wormwood that has created the greatest controversy for this green liqueur, and it is this ingredient that many critics of the drink point to as the cause of its supposed ill effects, including hallucinations and even madness.
Almost since its introduction, absinthe has held a great fascination among many in the artistic community, and in fact many famous works of art, by some of the best artists the world has ever known, feature absinthe, absinthe drinkers and a variety of absinthe paraphernalia. The artist Jean Francois Rafaelli was known to be quite a dedicated absinthe drinker, and this green liquid features prominently in a number of his most famous paintings. Henri de Toulouse Lautrec was also a devotee, although few of his paintings feature the drink.
Among the most famous paintings with the theme of absinthe are “At the Café” by Paul Gauguin and “The Absinthe Drinker” by Pablo Picasso. It is interesting to note the similarities between these two famous paintings by two of the most respected artists of our time. For instance, both of these works of art featured a blue seltzer siphon positioned close to the glasses of absinthe in the painting.
Of course the love of absinthe was not limited to those in the visual arts, and indeed this drink was shared with many well known artists and poets as well. Ernest Hemmingway, for instance, was known to be a devotee of absinthe, and he in fact continued to drink this liqueur even after it had been banned in most of the world. Hemmingway in fact mentions the drink in many of his most famous works, including his treatise on the bullfight “Death in the Afternoon” and the famous novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls”.
The famous poet Arthur Rimbaud was also fond of the drink after he was introduced to it as a young man in Paris. Even though his career as a poet was tragically short lived, he is still known as one of the greatest poets in the history of France.
Playwright Alfred Jarry was also known to be an eccentric as well as a lover of absinthe. This unique individual was perhaps best known for his scandalous play Ubu Roi, and in many interviews he admitted to using the drink to help in the writing of this notorious play.
Health concerns and concerns for the possible ill effects of absinthe led it to be panned at the beginning of the 20th century, but these days this famous green liqueur is once again available in many parts of Europe, as well as in Great Britain, Israel and Canada. Even today the drink attracts artists, musicians and others, and Johnny Depp, Mariliyn Manson and Eminem have openly praised this unique and historically significant substance.
