On offer is a large, vintage (1980s), enamel on metal advertisement sign for MARTINI VERMOUTH, produced by the Italian drinks company Martini & Rossi Distilleria Nazionale di Spirito di Vino, Torino. The artwork was initially created as a lithographic poster by artist San Marco in 1950. It features Bacchus — the renowned mythological god of wine — in an art style reminiscent of the 16th-century Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo, famous for painting imaginative portrait heads made of objects such as fruit, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books, which, at a distance, look like normal human portraits. Marco’s artwork depicts Bacchus’ head, crafted from a cluster of juicy green grapes, with his eyes gazing out through the luscious grape bunches. A splendid beard of vine leaves cascades below his mouth, and adorning the top of Bacchus’ head are two curling vines that resemble goat horns, adding to the god’s mythical aura. On the top of his head sits regal crown formed by a bottle of Martini vermouth nestled among vine leaves in autumnal colours, lending the image a sense of seasonal abundance and bounty. Bacchus’s figure is set against a blue and black background meant to look like the shimmering ripples of the Po River. In bold, capital letters at the foot of the artwork is text reading ‘Martini Vermouth. Martini & Rossi, Torino’. The sign’s intricate details and vibrant colours bring Bacchus to life, seizing the essence of this beloved wine god in a truly captivating way. By incorporating such a revered figure from ancient Roman mythology, San Marco captured the nature of Vermouth’s appeal, while paying homage to Italy’s rich artistic traditions. DIMENSIONS: 60 cm high and 39.5 cm wide. CONDITION: The sign is in great vintage condition with a few minor scratches and signs of wear, mostly around the top edges, as shown in photos 8 and 9. Some of the photos show glare, but these are only light reflections, not flaws. SHIPPING: The piece will be carefully wrapped and boxed and dispatched with a tracking code.