With the winter holidays approaching fast, it's time to discuss a book that has been sitting on my shelf for several months now. It's one of those rare books that combine pleasure and knowledge in equal measure — beautiful looks, matched with refreshing and original content. Which is no small accomplishment, when you think of all the coffee-table books we've reviewed on these pages alone. Author Roja Dove needs no further introduction*, and many of you have either read about The Essence of Perfume on other blogs, or perhaps even own a copy already. What I want to do here is to give a brief overview of its contents, and then add a small critical note, which I hope won't resonate too badly with the author. We'll see.
If you're covering a big topic like perfumery in one book, you're bound to make concessions. This one starts with a very brief introduction to the sense of smell, which is obviously not the author's strongest point. But if olfaction is what you're most interested in, there's an ample choice of specialized books to consult instead. Chapter two is a far more elaborate sketch of the origins of modern perfumery. It features, among other things, stunning images of three unique Guerlain bottles…
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Jacqueline Johnson's Classic Perfume Advertising features a collection of 370 color prints published in American and French magazines between 1920 and 1970. I’ve always admired the work of illustrators from the 1920s and ‘30s, so when I found this book on Amazon for a little under $29, I didn't think twice about ordering it. Although there are many print ad collections on the net nowadays, I prefer to browse through them in a nice, large book. I was also curious about the stories behind these ads, the people who created them, and the impact they had on the public. How did time affect universal themes in perfume advertising, like romance, sensuality, luxury, and elegance? I had high hopes for this book, and was really looking forward to it. But when my copy finally came in the mail, I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
What you get for your 29 dollars is a book with a lot of beautiful illustrations indeed…
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In 1999, the Metropolitan Museum of Art produced a wonderful booklet by Edwin T. Morris called Scents of Time. It gave a concise overview of perfume history, and came with a charming set of fragrance minis with scents like rose, sandalwood, orange blossom, and a traditional eau de cologne. A more elaborate book on the same subject (and by the same author) is Fragrance: the Story of Perfume from Cleopatra to Chanel, published in 1984; while the former is a decent but limited introduction that appeals mostly to novices and collectors, the latter is a more comprehensive source for advanced readers. The trouble is that they can only be obtained secondhand, and proper alternatives are very hard to find. Marie-Christine Grasse's Histoire mondiale du parfum is one of those exceptions that proves the rule: a beautiful, recently issued coffee-table book that is widely available, yet only in French. Here's an impression of what you will probably be missing, followed by a short, final thought.
The first section of Une Histoire mondiale du parfum is dedicated to “Antiquity”, and deals with perfume and cosmetics in America, Europe, and the Middle East…
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Looking back at all the perfume books we’ve discussed so far, it strikes me how often perfume writers adopt a dramatic type of prose. We’re told that a world without scent would be “unbearable” (Barillé and Laroze), and that smells have the ability to “detonate softly in our memory like poignant land mines” (Ackerman). Perfume is not just a vehicle of elegance or beauty, it’s a transcendental “engine of the universe” (Aftel) that connects past memories with the present (much like that soppy cookie in your cup of tea). Although I’m still a bit wary of poetic metaphors in non-fiction books, I think I’ve come to terms with this distinctive characteristic, and I’m actually starting to appreciate it more and more. Firstly because I do realize that reading about perfumery is as much about enjoyment as it is educational; and secondly, because the elusiveness of perfume does indeed require a good dose of poetic imagery at times. Read Richard Stamelman’s book Perfume, and you’ll understand why.
Until recently, my favorite titles in the ‘generic’ section of my library were The Book of Perfume and Perfume Legends. They’re both well-researched, nicely illustrated, and great fun to browse through on a Sunday afternoon. Michael Edwards’ book in particular seemed like a hard act to follow: if I were writing a perfume book and that one landed on my desk, I’m sure it would discourage me a great deal. Fortunately, the author of Perfume just carried on with his project: to tell the story of perfumery from the mid 18th century to the present against the backdrop of changes in art, literature, poetry, architecture and fashion. The result is a book that is indeed focused on perfumery, only with a much wider scope than we’re used to…
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Posted by Robin
on
17 March 2007
As previously reported, archaeologists have discovered a 4000 year old perfumery on the island of Cyprus. The site was preserved after it was "buried by an earthquake in the second millennium BC".
Artifacts from the site can now be seen at the Palazzo Caffarelli in Rome, where they will be on display through September as part of the exhibit "I profumi di Afrodite e il segreto dell’olio". Apparently, they have also recreated some of the fragrances for visitors to smell. Read more about the exhibit (in Italian) at Musei Capitolini. (quote via ansa.it, found via upi)
