The Art of Sardines Has French Heritage

Like most things in France, even the sardine cans look like a work of art. I found this fabulous little shop on rue Montorgueil that had a beautiful display of vibrant tins, each with pictures of their seasoning. I had never even tasted tinned sardines but I was lured to make a purchase. The French packaged these little cans to entice not only a connoisseur but also a novice like me. 

As usual, I asked the shopkeeper questions in my best French. She recommended one fish, in olive oil, on a cracker, topped with a pinch of salt. She explained some also eat the sardines on potatoes. 

It turns out that sardine tin art has French heritage. The canning method itself was invented by Frenchman Philippe de Girard. Sardine fishing was an important industry in many French towns, and the canned fish soon became popular as a delicacy across the Mediterranean. Although most sardine tins in France are now imported from Portugal, the art on most of them is still French. 

The eye-catching, vintage illustrations on the tins have a nostalgic feel. Bright colors of green, red, orange and blue reflect the sunny Mediterranean seaside. These colorful designs have revolutionized the reputation of sardines by turning a tin can into a piece of art.

The story of the fishing villages where the French tinned sardines are caught and packaged reminds me of our fabulous South Carolina coast and its shrimp and oyster industry. 

I sampled a cracker with some kind of sardine and proceeded to buy a selection. I was really artistically attracted to a pink tin of sardines with curry. I have not tasted one yet but have immortalized the tin and the story in a little painting which I will include with a few new Portraits of the South - Paris Edition. More of those to come.

This painting, “Sardines” is available for purchase. Click the image for more.