The Sommelier 1965

LeRoy Neiman created "The Sommelier" using his signature vibrant, gestural style. Neiman, born in 1921, captured the essence of postwar American optimism, where leisure and luxury became increasingly accessible, or at least, increasingly visible. Here, the painting depicts a sommelier in action, surrounded by affluent patrons. Neiman was a shrewd observer of social dynamics. He often focused on settings where identities were conspicuously performed, like in casinos and jazz clubs, which allowed him to examine class, gender, and race. While appearing celebratory, "The Sommelier" also subtly highlights a service economy where labor is often invisible. Neiman's expressive brushwork animates the scene, but we might ask, whose enjoyment are we really seeing? Is it the patrons, or Neiman's, as a ringside observer, participating in the spectacle of wealth and service. Neiman’s art invites us to consider the roles we play in the performance of society. It's about more than just a bottle being uncorked; it reflects our own complex relationship to wealth, labor, and the ever-present gaze of society.