A vernissage (varnishing, from French), also known as a preview or private view, is the ceremonial start of an art exhibition. It is usually a social event that people attend to show up, strolling around with glasses of free sparkling wine and canapés, talking to artists about the works in the exhibition. Varnish is a finish applied to wood or other surfaces in order to provide a clear, hard, durable, protective finish. ... See also: Preview (software) from Apple Computer Preview is where output of a particular document, page, film, etc. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... Categories: Wines | Oenology | Stub ... A canapé or canape is a small, prepared, and usually decorative hors doeuvres which is held in the fingers, and often eaten in one bite. ...

At official exhibitions, such as the Royal Academy summer exhibition, artists, in the past, would give a finishing touch to their works by varnishing them (J M W Turner was known for actually starting and completing works on varnishing day while his fellow academicians were simply varnishing). The custom of patrons and the élite of visiting the academies during the varnishing day prior to the formal opening of the exhibition gave rise to the tradition of celebrating the completion of an art work or a series of art works with friends and sponsors. Nowadays for commercial shows it is an opportunity to market the works on sale to influential buyers and critics. Royal Academy during the 2004 summer exhibition The Summer Exhibition is an art exhibition held annually by the Royal Academy in Burlington House, Piccadilly in central London. ... J. M. W. Turner, English landscape painter The fighting Temeraire tugged to her last berth to be broken up, painted 1839. ...

There also is a comparable ceremonial ending of art exhibitions. Bigger art exhibitions also have such an event at half time of the exhibition.