Vert Absinthe

Oscar Wilde had a curious love for the color green, which is usually a sign of subtle artistic temperament. He was not alone. Many of his contemporaries found themselves lured by the mindaltering liqueur. By the late 19th century, cafés throughout Europe began their “Green Hour” in the late afternoon, and artists drank absinthe to let loose their imaginations.

Tipping their hat to Wilde, Ivan and Allison Barnett inaugurate Patina’s “Year of Couleur” with a curated exhibition of all things green. They’ve combed Patina’s archives and their artists’ collections, uncovering dozens of Soul-Stirring objects-from paintings to wooden vessels to jewels, all with the intoxicating flavor of green.