vernissage

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The Word of the Day for October 1 is:

vernissage   \vair-nih-SAHZH\   noun 
     : a private showing or preview of an art exhibition 

Example sentence:
     Before the art auction, there will be a vernissage during which people can 
mingle with the artists and preview their work.

Did you know? 
     "Vernissage" has its roots in the old practice of setting aside a day 
before an exhibition's opening for artists to varnish and put finishing touches 
to their paintings -- a tradition that reportedly dates to at least 1809, when 
it was instituted by England's Royal Academy of Arts. (One famous member of the 
Academy, Joseph Mallord William Turner, was notorious for making major changes 
to his paintings on this day.) English speakers originally referred to this day 
of finishing touches simply as "varnishing day," but sometime around 1912 we 
also began using the French term "vernissage" (literally, "varnishing"). Today, 
however, you are more likely to encounter vino than varnish at a vernissage, 
which is often a gala event marking the opening of an exhibition.





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