MIAMI BEACH, FL (October 27, 2008)―From February 19th through March 8th, 2009, The Wolfsonian-Florida International University will present an extraordinary exhibition of original paintings commissioned to illustrate the labels of vintages of the famed Château Mouton Rothschild, one of the world's greatest wines and a First Growth in the Bordeaux region. Over 60 vintages ranging from 1945 to 2006 will be represented. The exhibition will premiere during the 2009 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

The exhibition will include works by important artists such as Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, Robert Motherwell, Keith Haring, Balthus, among many others.

The exhibition will kick off with a by-invitation-only press luncheon on Thursday, February 19th to preview the exhibit and announce the 2006 artist label.

As one of the highlights of the Festival, a gala VIP dinner and auction will be held on Saturday, February 21st in the presence of Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, the current owner of the Château, to benefit The Wolfsonian-FIU and the FIU School of Hospitality and Tourism. The world renowned chef Daniel Boulud will prepare a spectacular meal paired with a special selection of the finest wines from Château Mouton Rothschild. A wine auction will follow dinner, featuring large format bottles of Mouton from a variety of vintages. Tickets to this exclusive dinner experience are available starting Monday, October 27th, 2008 through www.sobewineandfoodfest.com or by calling 877.762.3933.

Baroness Philippine has continued a tradition begun in 1945 by her father, the legendary Baron Philippe de Rothschild: Each vintage is bottled with a label illustrated with an original work by a renowned artist.

Speaking of the exhibition, Baroness Philippine said: "I am particularly happy to have been given this opportunity by The Wolfsonian to present, in the heart of South Beach, an exhibition which brings together the most famous names of modern and contemporary art. It will allow those who love our First Growth, but who until now have only been familiar with reproductions of the artworks on the labels, to admire at last the originals created since 1945 by all these artists to the glory of Mouton."

Cathy Leff, director of The Wolfsonian, continued, "We're delighted and honored to work with Mouton Rothschild to bring this prestigious exhibition to The Wolfsonian where so many art and wine lovers will get the opportunity to view it. “This exhibition provides an opportunity for our visitors to see how artists have expressed their ideas about Mouton and demonstrates The Wolfsonian’s mission to explore the active role that design plays in motivating actions, expressing ideas, creating desires, and shaping identities.”

About the Mouton Labels and the Exhibition
Bringing together art and wine at the pinnacle of perfection has always been one of the most original and inspired ambitions of the owners of Château Mouton Rothschild, first Baron Philippe de Rothschild, then his daughter Baroness Philippine. In turn, the bottle also was to become the symbol of this marriage of wine and art.

In 1924, to salute his first château-bottled vintage, Baron Philippe had the revolutionary idea of commissioning the poster artist Jean Carlu to design the Mouton label. Ahead of its time, however, his initiative was not repeated.

In 1945, to celebrate the return to peace, the Baron decided to crown the label for the vintage with a drawing representing the "V" for Victory. From an exceptional event sprang a great tradition, and every year since, a contemporary artist has been invited to create a unique work of art for Mouton. At the time, artists were reluctant to see their name linked with that of a consumer product, however prestigious. Fortunately, Baron Philippe's circle of friends included a number of talented artists who were swayed by his powers of persuasion.

In 1955, no less a figure than Georges Braque offered to illustrate the label, soon followed by some of the greatest painters of our time. They in turn were joined by leading sculptors and, over the last twenty years, an increasing number of non-French artists.

The artists invited to create the labels have always been left entirely free to follow their creative instincts. In exchange for their work they are not paid a fee but, given a certain number of cases of Mouton Rothschild, including of course from the year for which they have provided the label.

In 1981, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild had the idea of showing this unique collection of original works of art to the public. Then there were thirty-four, now there are over sixty, and a new work is added every year.

The works clearly had to be displayed in chronological order, but the variety of styles and formats raised the problem of a unified method of presentation. Baroness Philippine's idea of glass display cases, like those used for butterflies, was realized by the designer Francis Lacloche. Each work is isolated in its own individual environment, with its own supporting documents, and in this way the visual unity of the collection as a whole is preserved.

The exhibition has already been displayed in museums around the world, including in Europe (London, Edinburgh, Berlin, Brussels), Japan, Canada, Hong-Kong, China, Russia and twenty-one cities in the United States.

Visitors to the exhibition should not come expecting to find major artworks of the 20th century. But they will nonetheless be touched by the charm and originality of these dreams captured in glass, like the wine in its bottle, each one a labor of love for Mouton Rothschild by some of the greatest artists of our day.

 About The Wolfsonian–Florida International University
The Wolfsonian–FIU is a museum and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, political, and technological changes that have transformed the world. The approximately 120,000 artifacts that comprise The Wolfsonian collection range from fine art, graphic design, and political propaganda to furniture, rare books, and ephemeral materials such as postcards and travel brochures. Since opening to the public just ten years ago, The Wolfsonian has developed and disseminated critically acclaimed exhibitions, publications, and educational programs that highlight the impact of design in shaping the modern world. Its vast patrimony of primary source materials provides unparalleled opportunities for scholarship and appreciation, making it a unique resource for local, national, and international audiences.

The Wolfsonian is located at 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, Fla. Admission is $7 adults; $5 seniors, students, and children six-12; free for Wolfsonian members, State University System of Florida staff and students with ID, children under six, and Miami Beach residents with ID. The museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday from noon-6pm; Thursday and Friday from noon-9pm; and is closed on Wednesday. Contact us at 305.531.1001 or visit us online at www.wolfsonian.org.

The Wolfsonian receives ongoing support from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; Crispin Porter + Bogusky; Continental Airlines, the Official Airline of The Wolfsonian; the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation; and Pistils & Petals.

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